


Sun Spot

by tireddiver



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: "Quirk", Bakugou Katsuki Has One for All Quirk, Because I'd never seen that before and thought it'd be fun, Dadmic, Demigod Midoriya Izuku, Everybody with a quirk is at least the descendent of a god, F/M, Hisashi is a god, Midoriya Izuku Has a Quirk, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tags will be updated each chapter, U.A. is a University (My Hero Academia)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2020-09-28 04:20:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 28,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20419811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tireddiver/pseuds/tireddiver
Summary: Midoriya Inko has always loved the sun. A summer romance leaves her with two new loves. The first, 'Hisashi', is a powerful man from a mysterious family. The second is their son, Izuku. This is Izuku's story as he learns who he is and who he wants to be.Midoriya Izuku is just a boy when he's wrenched into the world of gods and heroes. He grows up learning to survive, to fight, and to be a hero. Is that all there is ever going to be to his life?





	1. Sunset to Sunrise

**Author's Note:**

> Hey hey! So some of you may know me from Reflex, which is cool. I hope you aren't too mad I decided to flush out this passion project too. For those of you who don't know me, Welcome! I hope you enjoy the chapter! More to come soon :)

Midoriya Inko had always loved the sun. When she was a little girl she longed to go outside and lay out for hours. To Midoriya the sun was like a friend. It greeted her with a warm embrace each time she saw it. It's setting always brought sorrow to Midoriya's heart, and a fear that it wouldn't come back. Each morning when it rose again, she always rejoiced. She knew it was silly, the sun hadn't really gone anywhere after all, but she couldn't help it.

As Midoriya got older her love of the sun had only grown. Now she spent long days outdoors just to feel its rays. She had been the only girl in her high school with a tan. The boys all stared at her and the girls had made fun of her. They said that a tan was a sign that you were poor. Midoriya had never understood why that should bother her.

It was in her last year of law school when Midoriya met Hisashi. She and her friends were spending their summer break at a beach where Mitsuki's parents had a little condo. All four of them were sharing the king-sized bed and spending their days out at the beach.

"Aren't ya gonna come in?" Mitsuki called to her from the water. Her, Ino, and Ruki had run out to play in the waves and were now in the midst of a splash war.

"Nah," Midoriya shouted back to her best friend as she laid out her beach towel. "I'm just gonna lay out for a little while." She laid down and soaked up the warm rays of the sun. Mitsuki, Ino, and Ruki played in the water for awhile before coming back onto the beach and sitting underneath one of the umbrellas they had brought with them.

The day slipped away as the four girls shared sea salt ice cream, enjoyed the attention of the local boys, and perused the wares of the beach side vendors. After a dinner of fried shrimp, calamari, and clams the girls were headed back to their temporary abode. They were walking past an empty portion of the beach when Midoriya looked out upon the dying sun dancing on the waves and stopped.

"You girls go on ahead," Midoriya called ahead to her friends who had turned back to see why she stopped. "I'm gonna watch the sun set." The other girls groaned but left her there as they sought cool showers and the joys of AC.

Midoriya made her way down to edge of the water and sat down. The ebbing tide licked at her toes. She watched as the sun made the waves sparkle and gleam. It was as though the ocean was on fire.

Midoriya wanted to be a part of the magical scene. She took off into the water without warning. She ignored the cold waves and focused instead on the last of the sun's warmth. She swam deeper and deeper until all the world around her was stained red and orange. As the sun finished its journey beyond the horizon, Midoriya looked around and realized she had swum too far. She could no longer see the shore.

Panic set in as she tried to spot any land, any haven that she could get to. Her body ached and she struggled to keep her head above water. Cursing herself for being so careless Midoriya Inko began to sink beneath the waves. Her vision went black.

***

Midoriya woke to her whole body aching and a crackling fire next to her. She tried to remember how she had gotten out of the water, but she couldn't remember anything after her head had sunk beneath the water.

"I hurt too much to be dead," she groaned.

"That's good," laughed a light voice next to her, "must mean you're still alive." Midoriya whipped her head around to try and find the source. The quick movement had her head spinning and it was a moment before her eyes actually focused on the man.

He was relatively tall and probably in his mid-twenties. His blond hair hung down around his face and teased at his shoulders. He was sitting on the sand before the fire, arms back to support himself and eyes closed as though he was at perfect peace. All he wore was a small red swimsuit with a little plus on the bottom and Midoriya could see that his chest and abs were packed with lean, defined muscle.

"Are you the one that saved me?" she asked him as she pushed herself up into a seated position. Her voice was hoarse and burned as it made its way out of her throat. She shuddered and scooted closer to the fire.

The man opened his eyes to look at her and Midoriya had to bite back a gasp. His eyes were like bright pools of liquid sunlight. They gleamed with warmth and energy in an almost inhuman way. Midoriya wondered if it had to with his quirk because nothing that beautiful could be normal.

"I saw you out in the water," he told her, his voice sang with every word he spoke, "and when I saw you go under, I panicked. I was in the water before I knew what I was doing."

"Thank you," she managed. He stared back at her like he was trying to figure her out.

"It's been a long time since I've done anything like that," he murmured.

"Aren't you a lifeguard?" she asked him, pointing to his shorts.

A dark chuckle rocked his shoulders. "Not really, they just have me watch over things. I don't interfere most of the time. I just look down from above."

"That sounds lonely," she commented. She scooted closer to him and put her hand on his. "Why don't I keep you company for a little bit? What's you name?"

He looked down at their overlapping hands and then at Midoriya. A wide smile broke out on his face, it was kind and genuine and shone like the sun. "You can call me Hisashi."

The two sat there for hours just talking about their lives. Midoriya told Hisashi all about law school and her friends. She told him about all her favorite adventures, like the time she had hiked Mt. Fuji with Mitsuki just to watch the sun rise. Hisashi had listened intently to everything she said and had asked questions and laughed with her.

Hisashi told her about how he spent all day at work, watching over everyone from high above. He told her about how his dad had given him the job when the previous guy had become unpopular. He talked about his love of poetry and music the most though.

Midoriya tried to ask questions and learn more about him but the man was never specific with his responses. When she asked what his father did, he told her that his father liked to say that he was 'king of the gods' but really, he just ran around having affairs all day. When she asked about his quirk he hadn't answered at all and just let out a little jet of flame from his mouth.

When the sky started to lighten and hints of red began to streak through the blue, Hisashi stood up. "That's my cue I'm afraid."

"Will I see you again?" she asked him. She had grown fond of Hisashi through the night and now she was worried that she would never see him again.

Hisashi smiled down at her, his warm and comforting presence washing over her. "I work till sunset. If you want, we can meet here again then."

Midoriya nodded vigorously and Hisashi chuckled gently at the excited greenette. "I'll see you then," he confirmed and walked off into the city. The moment he turned the corner the sunset peaked over the city and Midoriya smiled.

Midoriya walked back to Mitsuki's condo and plopped down on the couch. She was asleep as soon as her head hit the cushion.

She woke up a few hours later as Mitsuki was screaming at a shrieking Ino and Ruki.

"-ck you mean you didn't pack toothpaste!? You haven't brushed your teeth all week!? Well go buy some you dumbasses!" The aggressive blonde stormed out of the bathroom and began to rifle through the cabinets for pans. As she started to make some breakfast for them all she finally seemed to notice Midoriya as she sat up on the couch. "You look like shit, Inko."

Midoriya stretched and got up to sit at the breakfast bar. "Didn't get much sleep last night," she confessed.

"Met some hot stud?" Mitsuki teased her. When Midoriya blushed and didn't meet her eyes the blonde realized she had hit the nail on the head. "You did, didn't you!? You fox! What was he like? How was it? Did you guys fuc-"

"No!" Midoriya screamed to interrupt her unending interrogation. "He was so warm and kind. He saved me when I went too far out into the water."

"Sounds sickeningly romantic," Mitsuki laughed. "Well are you gonna meet him again?"  
  


"Yeah," Midoriya blushed. "He gets off work at sunset. We're gonna meet at the beach again."

Mitsuki laughed at her friend and continued to interrogate her on the new man in her life. She made them both some omelets and the two laughed together as they ate.

***

Midoriya had spent the day sleeping on the beach as her friends had relaxed and played in the water again. She woke up in the late afternoon and was amazed to find she hadn't burned in the sun. She brushed it off to luck and went and got dinner with Mitsuki and the girls before returning to that same beach as the sun ducked behind the horizon.

Midoriya arrived to find Hisashi already sitting by the fire and strumming on a guitar. He smiled up at her as she came into the light of the flames.

"I hope you didn't have to wait too long," she said as she sat down beside him.

"Not long at all," he shrugged. He continued to strum on his guitar, letting the music fill the silence as the two of them shared in each other’s company. When he began to sing Midoriya felt a chill run through her despite the warm night and cozy fire.

She couldn't understand what he sang. She couldn't even tell what language it was, she only knew that it wasn't Japanese. She could tell it was a sad song though, one of longing. She felt the heartache in his words and the pain. As he finished his song Midoriya was looking at him with a sense of awe.

"That was beautiful," she whispered. She hated to break the silence, but she needed to tell him how much the song had moved her.

"I didn't mean to make you cry," he chuckled as he wiped the tears that flowed down her cheeks.

"What was it?" Midoriya asked him. She didn't know how else to fit all she wanted to know into a single question.

"It's an old song," he told her. "It tells the story of Hyacinthus and how his lover could not be with him. Hyacinthus left for a place that he could not follow, and he had to continue on with his duties despite the ache in his heart."

"That's terrible," she whispered. Her pulse was suddenly in her ears. She knew why that song had been on his mind.

"That's the way it often is," Hisashi murmured. He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Today was your last day, right?"

"Yes," she managed through renewed tears, "but I can come back! We could meet half way or something!" She didn't know why she was so desperate to hold onto him, but she knew that she didn't want to let him go.

"I can't" he said with a shake of his head. "My job makes it too difficult and it wouldn't be fair to you to upend your life for me."

"Is there no other way?" Midoriya asked. Her whole body felt muted.

"You could come with me," Hisashi told her. "I could take you to meet my father. We could be married, and you could stand by my side forever. I would make you like a queen. You would never want for anything. You would have hundreds of servants to call upon and new jewels to wear every day!"

Midoriya blushed as she took in his words. For the first time she wondered just how powerful a man Hisashi's father was. Or how powerful a man Hisashi was for that matter. "You would do all that for me?" she wondered at him.

"Inko, I would stop the sun in its path just to see it shine on your face for one more moment," his words were only amplified by the pure adoration that was on his face as he looked at her.

Midoriya was stunned at his words, at his love for her. She wanted more than anything to run away with him. To forget about her life and become his bride. But she had her friends. She had her future career. She loved her life and she couldn't give up her dreams for him.

"I can't," she relented and looked away from the sweet man in shame.

"I know," Hisashi said as he wrapped her in a hug. "That's why I love you."

Midoriya looked up at him through the tears in her eyes. "Will you stay with me? Just for tonight."

He leaned in and kissed her. "Of course."

***

Midoriya was lounging at Mitsuki's two months later. Mitsuki had found out she was pregnant the week after they had gotten back and had married Masaru not a month later. Now Masaru and Midoriya were all but forcing Mitsuki to let them take care of her. The woman was stubborn and prideful, so she hated relying on anyone.

It was fairly early, only about ten in the morning, but Midoriya had come over to make a healthy breakfast for them all since Masaru was a truly awful cook. Midoriya was worried that the eggs had been bad. She had been suffering from a stomach ache since they had sat down.

"Thank you again for doing all this. Breakfast was absolutely wonderful," Masaru complemented her.

"Did it have to be so healthy though," Mitsuki whined, "What ever happened to sides of crispy bacon and black coffee?"

"The doctor said you needed to cut back on fats and caffeine, Mitsuki," Masaru explained.

Mitsuki gave a huff of indignation and threw herself back into the couch. Masaru and Midoriya laughed at the blonde's antics and shared a bemused look.

"Fuck you guys," Mitsuki snapped. She shot to her feet and began to make her way to the kitchen.

Midoriya got up after her. "I can get whatever it is for yo-" She cut off and ran past Mitsuki to the kitchen trash can. She threw up the egg white omelet and fruit salad in the metal can.

"Inko!" Mitsuki shouted and ran to her side. "Are you okay? What am I saying of course you're not! What's wrong?"

"Just the eggs I think," Midoriya managed. Now that she had gotten them out of her stomach, she was feeling much better. She straightened up to find the Bakugos sharing a concerned look.

"Inko honey," Mitsuki said gently, "it can't have been the eggs. Masaru and I ate them too and we're fine."

"Then what could-" Midoriya's voice failed her as she understood what Mitsuki and Masaru had already guessed at. Her eyes flicked down to Mitsuki's barely showing stomach and blanched.

No. It couldn't be true. She'd only been with the one man. She'd only had the one night. The odds were astronomical.

***

It was true. Midoriya Inko stood in the Bakugos' bathroom staring at four pregnancy tests. All four had the same haunting plus sign.

It wasn't that Midoriya didn't want to have children. This was just so sudden. So unexpected. She still had another seven months until she graduated law school for fuck's sake! How was she gonna do that while pregnant? How could she raise a baby on her own? She didn't know how to reach out to Hisashi, she didn't even know his last name.

She had her hand resting on her belly, trying to feel something. She knew there wouldn't be anything to feel. Mitsuki's baby had only started to kick last week. It just didn't seem real. She wanted some piece of evidence that proved to her she was pregnant. She was going to have a hard time believing it until then.

***

The fifth day in a row Midoriya threw up breakfast she admitted defeat. She was definitely pregnant. She had a doctor's appointment scheduled for later that day.

"Ask the doctor for something," Mitsuki told her. "They'll probably tell you to take a prenatal vitamin anyways, what harm could a little zophran do?"

"At this point, I'll try anything," Midoriya groaned as she stood up from the Bakugos' trashcan again. She had been coming over even more now that she was freaking out over her baby on top of Mitsuki and hers.

"So... you planning on keeping the little shit?" Mitsuki asked her.

"Mitsuki!" Midoriya scolded her friend. She swatted her on the arm as she sat down next to her on the couch. "I don't see how I couldn't. It's such a gift. I always wanted to have kids one day."

"Not exactly the story book method," Mitsuki teased.

Midoriya blushed at her friend. She had a point but still. "Plus, what would Hisashi say if he found out?"

"Who cares?" Mitsuki sighed. She had heard a lot about Hisashi and his hypothetical thoughts over the last few days. "He's not here. He doesn't get a say. And even if he was, what you want matters Inko."

"It's not like it's his fault," Midoriya defended him. "He would be here if he knew. He already offered to marry me even without the baby. Neither of us could disrupt our lives like that though."

"I know, I know," Mitsuki conceded. "But you should make this choice for you, not for him Inko."  
  


Midoriya thought on her friend's words but the choice had been made already and she was sure.

***

Mitsuki went into labor while she, Midoriya, and Masaru were all at the Bakugos' sitting down to eat a rather suspicious meat loaf Masaru had made.

"Shit," Mitsuki swore. "I think my water just broke."

"What!?" Midoriya screeched.

"Mitsuki honey are you sure?" Masaru asked his wife.

"Well either that or I pissed myself from fear of eating your shitty cooking!" Mitsuki snapped. Masaru laughed good naturedly and began running around collecting all of the bags they had prepacked for this occasion.

"Let's get you down to the car," Midoriya said and offered Mitsuki an arm to grab onto.

"You're not supposed to be doing any heavy lifting," Mitsuki joked. She took the greenette's arm and used it and the table to stand. The two women began waddling their way down to Masaru's car. Masaru caught them as they made it to the elevator, carrying a number of backpacks and duffel bags.

"You got the car seat installed, right?" Mitsuki hissed at him through gritted teeth.

Masaru looked at his wife with no small amount of concern and nodded his head grimly.

Midoriya knew just how high Mitsuki's pain tolerance was. If she was struggling now, Midoriya paled to think of what she'd go through in a few months.

***

Agony. Midoriya Inko was going through a world of pain so intense that all she knew was agony. She had moved in with the Bakugos two weeks ago so she wouldn't be alone in the last weeks of her pregnancy. She was so large she couldn't even get off the couch without help and she wasn't sure how she would have made it without their help.

Even now Mitsuki was by her side, holding her hand as Midoriya pushed through the pain. She squeezes the blonde's hand with all her strength and clings to consciousness. With a gasp she falls back against the bed.

"I can't do it," she cries, "I can't do it!"

"Yes, you can," Mitsuki tells her. She squeezes her friend's hand and coaches her to breath. "Now I need you to push one more time for me Inko. Come on."

Midoriya sits up and starts to push once again. After a moment there's a sense of relief and Midoriya's whole body is left with a dull ache. A soft cry begins to fill the room and Midoriya begins to scan wildly for her baby.

"It's okay," Mitsuki assures her. She's petting her hair gently. "They're just cleaning him up a bit. Do you want to hold him for a minute?"

Midoriya is too tired to do anything but nod. Mitsuki steps aside and a nurse hands her a little bundle of blankets. She looks down to see him. Her baby. He looks up at her with her own green eyes. They glow, the same way Hisashi's golden orbs had, with a warm and beautiful light. He was their perfect creation. He was her little sun spot.


	2. Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku discovers his "quirk"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this sat silent for awhile, sorry about that. I plan to keep dropping chapters every now and then and I have some plans for this fic in the future. Hope you guys like it.

Izuku Midoriya sat in class next to his best friend, Kacchan. They were coloring pictures of their favorite heroes. Izuku was putting the finishing touches on All Might. The blue crayon in his hand rubbed down to the nub. Izuku peaked over at Kacchan's paper and couldn't recognize the hero his friend was drawing.

"Kacchan, who are you drawing?" Izuku asked him. "I haven't seen him before."

"Come on Izuchan," Kacchan groaned as he held his paper up. "This is the future number one hero, Explodoboy!"

Now that Kacchan held up the paper, beneath the black mask and strange explosion like earmuffs Izuku could see red eyes and blond hair. Izuku giggled at his friend and held up his own drawing.

"All Might's gonna be number one forever Kacchan," Izuku teased.

"Well I'm gonna be so awesome that even All Might is gonna admit that I beat him," Kacchan huffed. "Maybe if your quirk is half as cool as mine you can be my sidekick."

Just before the two could devolve into further squabbles, their teacher, Ms. Inoue called all of the young kids together. They sat in a circle on the floor with Inoue sitting in the only seat.

"Today we're going to talk about music," Ms. Inoue asked. "Does anyone like to listen to music?"

Almost all of the kids raised their hands. Ms. Inoue laughed at their excitement.

"Does anyone have a favorite song?" she asked them. Most of the hands shot down as scowls came across the faces of many of the children. Izuku kept his hand raised high. "Midoriya, what's your favorite song?"

"Walking on Sunshine!" he exclaimed in excitement.

"Oh, so you're into classic pop," Ms. Inoue remarked. Izuku nodded happily. "Well we're going to look at various instruments and how we can make music ourselves." She reached over and pulled out a guitar from the bag behind her. "This is my guitar. I can use it to make music." She strummed the guitar once and Izuku was instantly enraptured by the instrument. She began to pick at the strings and Izuku recognized the tune as 'Walking on Sunshine.'

Ms. Inoue played, and the song filled the room. Izuku focused fully on the motions of her fingers and the way she placed them on the strings. He had never seen anyone play a guitar before and he was amazed at how fast Ms. Inoue was moving her fingers. When she stopped, silence filled the classroom.

She smiled down at the students. "Would anyone like to try?" Once again just about every hand shot up. Ms. Inoue chuckled at them and let them come up one at a time. She let a boy sit in the seat and put the guitar in his hands. As the first student tried, the others formed a line to see who would go next.

Izuku watched each of the students as they went up. Most of their hands could not reach both ends of the strings the way Ms. Inoue's had. The few who had the reach to grab onto both ends, couldn't stretch their fingers into anything and just clutched to the end of the guitar. They all just strummed on the strings a few times and laughed. But none of them made music.

Izuku's turn came and he tugged on Ms. Inoue's sleeve. "Can I try it on the ground?" He asked her. When she nodded, he sat down on the floor and she put the guitar in his hands. He set the instrument on the floor in front of him and let his fingers run over the strings in front of him.

Izuku heard a few voices from behind him, some questioning, others impatient. He strummed the strings and silence fell back over the noisy classroom. Something was different. It was like the instrument was awakened by Izuku's touch. Izuku placed his fingers where he saw Ms. Inoue, and he began to play his own favorite song.

As he played, he began to sing the words along with the guitar. The song filled him with the same happiness and warmth it always did when Izuku's mom played it for him. It was only comparable to the joy he felt at watching All Might videos on HeroTube.

He saw the awe on the faces of his classmates and the smile on Ms. Inoue's. She hummed along with him and he smiled back at her. When he got to the same spot in the song where Ms. Inoue had stopped, he kept going. He knew the song and the way to recreate the sounds in the right way seemed obvious to him. He played all the way through the song. When it ended, his classmates all clapped for him and he laughed.

"That was amazing Midoriya," Ms. Inoue laughed. "Have you ever played a guitar before?"

Izuku shook his head. Now that he wasn't playing the music all of the confidence had left him. He realized that he had just taken over the lesson and kept his classmates from playing on the guitar and he felt bad for being so selfish.

"Hmm," Ms. Inoue mused. "It's probably a part of your quirk then. I'll be sure to let your mom know and you can show her when she comes to pick you up if you like." Izuku nodded and went to sit in his spot next to Kacchan while the last few students tried the guitar. They all tried it on the floor, the same way Izuku had, but even then, they could only strum on the guitar.

"Was that your quirk?" Kacchan asked next to him. He turned and saw his friend pouting a little.

"I don't know," Izuku confessed. "I just did what Ms. Inoue did."

"No," Kacchan said shaking his head. "No, you didn't."

Izuku felt his eyebrows scrunch together as he tried to make sense of that. Before he could ask what Kacchan meant though, Ms. Inoue called for their attention again. Once everybody quieted down, she sat back down in her seat.

"Now that we've all had a chance to see how the guitar helps us create music, who wants to try and name some other instruments?" she asked them. Several kids volunteered instruments that included violins, pianos, drums, and kazoos. "All of these are wonderful instruments. But my favorite instrument is the body."

"Like what Izuchan did," Kacchan interrupted. "He was singing."

"That's right Bakugo," Ms. Inoue confirmed. "Midoriya was singing. Singing is when we use our voice to match the notes of music. But we can also clap along to a song to provide a beat, or even hum or whistle if we don't feel comfortable singing. Does anyone know how to whistle?"

One of the girls in the class raised her hand. Ms. Inoue called on the girl and she stood up and said, "You make a small hole with your mouth, put your tongue on your teeth, and blow!" She tried to demonstrate but only succeeded in spraying the closest student with spit.

"That's right Hinata," Ms. Inoue confirmed. Izuku began trying to move his tongue into the right place as she spoke. "It's not very easy so don't feel bad if it takes you awhile to get the hand of it. Some people go their whole life without being able to whistle. It takes patience and lots of practi-"

Izuku hadn't meant to interrupt her. But when his mouth finally felt right, he had been drawn to see if he could whistle. As he did a clear note filled the air and the entire room had been silenced once again. A flash of red filled Izuku's vision and with a yelp he stopped whistling.

The students exploded into cries of fear and excitement. Kacchan grabbed his arm with a gleam of excitement in his eyes.

"Do that again," Kacchan ordered him.

Izuku nodded hesitantly and whistled again while Ms. Inoue was distracted calming down the class. He whistled a sustained note and this time he didn't stop when a flame began flowing from his lips. It was little more than the flame of a candle, but it flowed out instead of up. Kacchan's look turned a little crazy.

"_That's_ a hero's quirk," he remarked and smacked Izuku on the back. "Now you can be my sidekick Izuchan!"


	3. The first cloud

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku begins to attract lots of attention now that he developed his "quirk"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Managed to get another chapter out. I've been daydreaming cool scenes for this fic and I'm getting really into writing it so I hope you guys like it!

The first time Izuku was attacked was that same day. After the music lesson, Ms. Inoue had taken them all outside for recess. The boys had all gathered to play and run around. They decided to play hide and seek and Kacchan was the first one to be it.

Izuku, and all of the other kids, ran off to find somewhere to hide. Izuku went to the covered slide and slid down so that he was halfway through the tube. The sunlight was muted and tinted green, giving the tube an other worldly air. He waited there for Kacchan.

It seemed like he was waiting for ever. The sounds outside of his enclosure faded and soon it was quiet. Izuku poked his head out the top of the slide and didn't see anyone. They must have gone back inside and not noticed that Izuku wasn't there. He got up to run and knock on the door. As he stepped down the stairs and onto the ground a growl came from behind him.

Izuku turned around and saw a large black dog standing atop the slide he had just crawled from. The dog was the so large the hard plastic of the slide was bending beneath it. Its large gleaming claws dug into the upper lip holding it in place. Its mouth opened to reveal a gleaming set of razor-sharp teeth. Shadows bellowed with its every breath and fizzled out in the bright sunlight. Izuku took all of this in but he kept getting distracted by its eyes. The glowing red orbs were filled with anger his young mind couldn't understand and a hunger that he had never felt.

Izuku cried, terrified tears flowing down his face, as he turned and ran. The beast let out a great roar and jumped after him. The beast bowled into Izuku and he fell onto the ground lost in pain. His back felt like it was on fire and there was something pressing down on his shoulder. Izuku let out one last blood curdling scream before he blacked out.

***

Izuku groggily opened his eyes. He was staring up at a white ceiling with florescent bulbs that let off an annoyingly white light. The occasional beep filled the room. He blinked hard a few times and looked around. He was in a strange room with nothing but a few chairs, the bed he was lying in, and the machines that were beeping. His mom was sitting by his bed side, asleep, with her head down on the sheets.

Izuku looked out the window and saw it was dark outside. His mind was foggy, and his eye lids were heavy. Izuku settled his head back down on the pillow and closed his eyes. Sleep overcame him quickly.

The next time Izuku woke up the room was filled with sunlight. Its warm rays fell across his arms and made him feel safer. He saw his mother, awake this time, staring at him teary eyed.

"Izuku," she sobbed, "you're okay!" She threw her arms around him in a hug but quickly reeled back when he grunted from pain. She looked at him shamefully. "I'm sorry honey, it's just been so hard waiting for you to wake up. How are you feeling."

Izuku almost answered that he was fine on instinct. As he opened his mouth though a wave of pain hit him. He must have grimaced because his mom took it as an answer.

"I'll go get the doctor," she said. "I think you might have some visitors too, but you don't have to see them if you don't want to."

"Did Kacchan come?" Izuku asked her. He hoped Kacchan wasn't judging him too much for getting hurt by a dog.

"All of the Bakugos came," his mom told him. She ruffled his hair and smiled at him. "But you have another visitor too."

"Who?" he pressed. Who else would want to come see him?

"It's the hero who saved you," his mom said like it wasn't the coolest thing she had ever told him. Izuku shot straight up and instantly regretted it. He slouched back down, and his mom put her hand gently on his shoulder. "You have to promise not to get too excited or the doctor won't let you have any visitors."

Izuku nodded excitedly, maybe a little too much so because the pain that shot down his shoulder made the edges of his vision go dark. His mom must not have noticed because she smiled at him. She left and got the doctor who came and gave him a quick once over. The doctor asked Izuku how he was feeling and what he remembered. He examined the large bandage that was on his shoulder, and the wrappings around his chest. He talked with him about not over doing it, that his body needed to heal. Lastly, he gave Izuku two pills that he called Ox-cotton before he agreed to let him have visitors.

The doctor left and not a minute later the door opened again. "Well hey there little listener!" the blond-haired hero called out as he strut into the room. He was a relatively newer hero, but Izuku knew who it was instantly.

"Present Mic!" Izuku crowed.

"That's me," Mic smiled. "How ya feeling?"

"I'm okay," Izuku said but he quickly got back on track to what really mattered. "This is so cool. We listen to your radio show every day!"

"I appreciate that," Mic laughed. He settled into a seat by Izuku's bedside and ruffled his hair. "You seem to be doing pretty well. You must be quiet the strong kid."

"Thank you," Izuku squeaked, at awe that a hero would call him strong.

"Your friend in the waiting room told me that you got your quirk today," Mic said earning Izuku a surprised look from his mom. Izuku nodded. "He said you whistle fire."

Izuku nodded again. "Ms. Inoue said me playing the guitar could have been part of it too," he added. Present Mic joined his mother in giving him a surprised look at that.

"You played the guitar?" Present Mic asked.

"I had to set it on the ground," Izuku told him. "My fingers couldn't reach the strings."

"That was pretty smart," Mic laughed. "You know I play the guitar too. Sounds like you got yourself a pretty good quirk. Is it like your moms?"

"No," Izuku said shaking his head. "Mom can pull things towards her."

"So then what about your dad's?" Mic pressed.

"Mom says that he could breathe fire, but he works overseas. I've never seen him do it."

"Well that sounds pretty cool," Mic chuckled. "I bet your quirk comes with lots of little features you'll learn about as you experiment. It's probably best that you heal up before you start trying anything too strenuous though."

"I will Present Mic, sir," Izuku nodded.

"How would you feel about me stopping in to check on you?" Present Mic asked him out of left field. Izuku just stared at him with his jaw open. Present Mic just chuckled. "What? Is it so weird for a hero to want to check up on a young potential?"  
  


"Y-yeah!" Izuku nodded before realizing. "I mean no! I mean thank you yes please come by!"

Present Mic let out a hearty laugh at the boy's distress. "Why don't I talk to your mom about it and we can send your friend in to keep you company?"

Present Mic stepped into the hall with his mom and Izuku was still dumbfounded at what had just happened as all the Bakugos filled the small room.

"Izuchan!" Kacchan screeched as he barreled into the room. He tried to crawl up into the bed, whether he was trying to hug Izuku or throttle him wasn't totally clear. "Are you okay!?"

"I'm fine Kacchan," Izuku told him. "The doctor gave me ox-cotton to help with the pain."

"What does an ox have to do with pain?" Kacchan scoffed.

"Oxycodone blocks the pain receptors in the body," Uncle Masa told them.

"That's so cool," Kacchan remarked. "I wonder if we could use it to fight a villain without reacting to any of their blows."

As Uncle Masa began explaining all of the reasons that you wouldn't want to abuse the ox-cotton like that, Izuku couldn't help but smile at his friend. The two of them were gonna be heroes.

***

The Voice Hero couldn't help but hope he was wrong. The signs were all there. But maybe he was misreading them. Mrs. Midoriya stood across from him with a teary smile on her face. He hated to be the reason it was going to be short lived.

"Mrs. Midoriya, I need to ask you a few questions if that's alright," he began. They were standing by the door to her son’s hospital room and here he was about to interrogate her.

"Is everything okay?" she asked picking up his more serious mood instantly. He couldn't just tell her everything, but he needed answers and the only way to get them was to make her see that he was there to help.

"I'm afraid I've dealt with the villains like the one that attacked your son before," he told her. "They tend to focus on a specific type of victim and they never work alone. I need to figure out if your son was a target or if he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Why would someone attack my son?" Mrs. Midoriya franticly asked. She was trembling as she stood there and wrung her hands together.

"These villains tend to attack those with powerful parents," he half truthed.

"I'm a defense attorney," Mrs. Midoriya told him. "But I don't think I've covered anything big enough to garner a villain attack."

"No," Mic confirmed. "The kind of power we're talking about is much further reaching. What can you tell me about your son's father? Your son told me he works overseas."

Mrs. Midoriya's eyes widened in shock. "Hisashi," she whispered. The name struck a chord with him for some reason. "He's not in the picture," she told him. "He doesn't even know he has a son. How could Izuku have been attacked because of him?"

Mic sighed. "The villains we're dealing with have resources unlike anything else on this earth. What do you know about him?"

"He comes from some sort of powerful family," she confirmed. "He worked for his father as some sort of overseer. He could breathe fire. I'm sorry that's all I know."

Well it wasn't the proof Mic was hoping for, but he felt in his heart that he was right. This boy was a demigod.

"It's not exactly proof one way or the other, but I'm worried this may not be the last you hear from these villains," Mic explained. "I'd like to help keep an eye on the boy if it's okay."

"You would do that for us?" she asked in awe. "But you're a hero. Surely you're busy? We couldn't possibly impose like that."

Present Mic shook his head. "That's what a hero does Mrs. Midoriya. We help those in need. I'll be there to help as long as you'll have me."

Mrs. Midoriya's eyes filled with tears. She threw herself in a hug against Present Mic and sobbed as she cried out her thanks. Mic just patted her head and prayed to the gods he would be wrong and spare this family from trouble.


	4. Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku begins school and his future learning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was lots of fun, if a pain in the butt, to write. I hope you guys like it. Next chapter some big reveals and maybe a time skip. I'm still playing with it.

Izuku couldn't go back to preschool for a week. By the third day he was bored. Kacchan came over every afternoon but it was just him and his mom during the day, and his mom was busy working at the kitchen table. Izuku was on his own.

He filled the time watching TV and HeroTube, listening to music on the radio, and drawing new heroes. He had taken to keeping all his drawings in a notebook. He hoped he could start taking notes soon, but letters were still giving him a hard time.

That morning he was laying on the couch flipping through the channels on the tv, with the radio on in the background, when a knock came at the door. Izuku peaked over the couch to see if his mom was going to get up, but she was bent over a stack of notes. He got up and went to answer the door. He was shocked to see who answered it.

"Present Mic!" he cried out. The hero was standing on the other side of the doorway in full hero costume. "What are you doing at my house!"

Present Mic chuckled. He ruffled Izuku's hair and said, "Your mom and I thought you might be getting a little stir crazy. I know it's not easy be cooped up all day while you recover. Thought I'd swing by and check in. That is if you're up for visitors of course."

Izuku nodded vigorously and stepped aside to let Present Mic through. It was only as Present Mic picked them up off the floor that Izuku noticed two long black bags that the hero had brought with him. "What are those?" he asked curiously.

"We'll get to that," Mic assured him. "First I should go say hello to your mom." Izuku's mom grunted from the table, not really looking up from her notes. She got like this sometimes when she had a big case, lost in her thoughts. "Well I guess we can start with this then."

Present Mic set the two bags down and unzipped the larger one first. He pulled out a sleek black instrument. Izuku recognized it as a guitar but it was nothing like the instrument Ms. Inoue had shown the class. Mic set the guitar down on top of the case and unzipped the smaller bag.

He pulled a smaller guitar from the bag. This one looked a lot more like the one that Ms. Inoue had shown them. It was simple and plain, but it still looked brand new. Present Mic saw Izuku's wide eyes and chuckled.

"Here," he said. He held it out for Izuku, and the green haired boy took it. "This one should fit your hands a little better."

"But I don't know how to play," Izuku remarked. He couldn't play in front of Present Mic. Mic was a hero and a famous radio host. Izuku wasn't good enough for that.

"Relax little listener," Mic laughed. He ruffled Izuku's hair and took seat on the couch with the other guitar in his hands. "I thought I could show you some of the basics."

Izuku sat down on the couch across from Present Mic and watched as he messed with the little nobs at the top of the guitar. "What are you doing?" Izuku asked him.

"I'm tuning the strings," Mic explained. "If the strings aren't tuned just right then none of the notes are going to come out right."

"So how do you know when they're in tune?"

"Well you can use things like electronic tuners or tune off someone else's instrument," Mic told him, "but I've been playing long enough that I don't really need any of those. I just feel it in my bones when it's out of tune." With that he strummed down on the strings and the sound filled the room.

Izuku looked at his own guitar and strummed in the same way. The sound just felt wrong. It was like each string was singing its own song. He quickly set to work fiddling with the nobs at the top. After a few moments fiddling, he strummed the guitar again and this time the strings sang one tune.

Izuku looked up and saw Mic staring at him jaw wide open. "Was that wrong?" he asked sheepishly.

"No!" Present Mic shouted. "That was amazing! You tuned it half an octave off but to tune it at all after only watching someone do it once is astounding! Here try and tune it so it's in tune with mine." Mic strummed his guitar and encouraged Izuku to do the same.

When Izuku did, there was war in the air once again. Izuku's quickly retuned the guitar while Present Mic plucked the appropriate note each time. When he was done the two strummed again and the sounds blended into one. 

"Now I want to show you some chords," Present Mic told him. "Then maybe we can try a few songs. Does that sound fun?"

Izuku nodded and looked down at the instrument in his hand with a big smile.

***

Half an hour later Izuku and Present Mic were playing an older song together. It was just as easy as playing Ms. Inoue's guitar had been and Izuku was having so much fun. Izuku smiled at Mic and got a bright smile right back. They got to the chorus and Izuku started to sing.

_"_ _Oh, oh, oh_  
For the longest time  
Oh, oh, oh  
For the longest  
If you said goodbye to me tonight  
There would still be music left to write  
What else could I do  
I'm so inspired by you  
That hasn't happened for the longest time

_ Once I thought my innocence was gone  
Now I know that happiness go-"_

"Izuku!" he heard from behind him. He stopped and spun to see his mom standing in the doorway with her hands in front of her face. "Baby, was that you singing?"

"Y-yeah," Izuku nodded. Suddenly he was self-conscious and worried he had done something wrong. His skin burned and he felt like curling up on himself.

"It was so beautiful," his mother cried. She rushed forward and threw her arms around him.

"You think so?" Izuku asked her. "Present Mic was just showing me how to play the guitar."

"You didn't need to be shown all that much truth be told," Mic joked.

"Would you like to stay for lunch Present Mic?" his mom asked the hero.

"I wish I could," Mic said. "Unfortunately, the work of a hero is never done. We'll have to take a rain check."

"Anytime," his mom told him. Present Mic packed up his guitar and started to make his way to the door.

"Wait! Present Mic sir," Izuku called out. He was still holding the smaller guitar in his hands. "Aren't you gonna take this one too?"

"Why don't you hold onto that one," Mic laughed. "You can practice and show me all the songs you learned next time I stop by. How does that sound?"

Izuku ran and hugged Present Mic's leg. Tears were welling up in his eyes. "Thank you, Present Mic sir." He was gonna make sure to learn as many songs as possible between now and whenever he saw Present Mic next.

"Just make sure you have fun with it," Mic laughed. "Music should be something you do because you love it, not cause you feel like you have to." He ruffled Izuku's hair and left the family to their afternoon at home.

***

He had been watching from the roof across the street the entire time Mic had been in the apartment. The boy seemed young to be attracting monsters already, but it wasn't unheard of. It meant he had a hard life ahead of him, if he survived long enough for it to matter.

"Yo, Shouta," Mic called and pulled him from such dark thoughts. "Whatcha thinking about Mr. Dark and Gloomy?"

"Nothing," Shouta curtly responded. No need to bring the other hero down with his realism. "You're sure about this? I'm giving up a lot of sleep if I agree."

"You can sleep when your dead," Mic shrugged. Shouta just glared at the snarky hero. "Relax. Yes, I'm sure. That kid's a half-blood if I ever saw one."

"When are you gonna tell him?" Shouta asked.

"No sooner than I have to," Mic answered. "You know knowing only makes the attacks worse. Better for him to think they're villains for as long as he can."

"If he's being attacked anyways does it really matter? Wouldn't teaching him be more logical? That way he could be prepared to defend himself."

"Shouto," Mic groaned. "He's a child. He's not even five years old and you want me to train him to go out and kill monsters?"

"That's not what I said," Shouta told him. He did his best to stay calm. "Please don't put words in my mouth. All I'm suggesting is you make sure he doesn't get hurt again if he gets attacked without one of us there."

"I'm not going to train a child unless I have no other choice," Mic said shaking his head. "We can protect him."

"For how long?" Shouta pushed. "What? Are you planning to watch him every day until he goes to college?"

  
"No," Mic said hesitantly. "I don't know. Maybe. He's just a kid."  
  


"So were we."

"I know," Mic relented through clenched teeth. His fists were clenched, and he crossed his arms in frustration. "I just want him to get to the childhood we didn't. It wasn't an easy life Shouta. How can I drag someone down that same path?"

"Just be careful," Shouta advised his friend. He put a hand on his friend's shoulder and gave him a small smile. "He's going to have to face it eventually. It wasn't always easy, but we survived. Isn't that what matters?"

"Maybe you're right," Mic sighed. "I don't know."

"We'll keep him safe," Shouta told him. "When your both ready you can tell him. Just make sure you don't put him in danger trying to keep him safe."

***

Months passed in a wonderful blur for Izuku. He practiced with his guitar every day. Soon he knew dozens of songs and loved to play for his mom and for Kacchan. Kacchan would always complain that they weren't outside playing but once Izuku started he listened intently the entire time.

Present Mic became a regular in their small home. They played guitar together and Izuku took great joy in learning all the other instruments that Present Mic would bring with him too. Izuku was best at string instruments but he practiced on other types as well. He was learning piano, ukulele, and bongos right now.

Izuku started kindergarten at the elementary school with Kacchan. They had been learning Kanji when Izuku realized something was wrong.

"Midoriya," the teacher called, "will you try and read number three for us?"

Izuku stood up and tried to read the board. The symbols were hard to make out and Izuku squinted trying to make them make sense. "I can't," he relented. He blushed and took his seat once again as a string of giggles filled the class.

"Bakugo why don't you try," the teacher called.

Kacchan stood up and easily read the board. He sat back down and gave Izuku a weird look. Izuku wasn't sure what it was supposed to mean but he didn't like it. He just wanted to curl up on himself and hide.

He told his mom about it that night and she had made an appointment with an eye doctor. The doctor made him look through a weird machine and showed him a bunch of different shapes. The doctor told them he was far sighted and would need reading glasses, but that that probably wasn't what was keeping him from reading the board. He had referred them to a specialist who told them that Izuku was dyslexic and the specialist had talked to his mom for a long time about how to help him learn.

Every day when he came home Izuku worked extra hard to learn how to read and write. It gave him a headache if he worked too long, but he had to keep at it if he wanted to keep up with Kacchan. Kacchan had actually tried to help him study. He would always get mad at him when he was having trouble. Instead Izuku liked to surprise him with everything he had learned.

***

"Midoriya," the teacher called. Izuku looked up from his notebook and saw that he was the last one in the classroom. "Did you need anything sweetheart or did you just get lost in your drawing?"

"I'm sorry Mrs. Katashi," Izuku squeaked. "I didn't even notice class was over."

"It's okay," she laughed. "Run along then. I'm sure your mom is waiting for you."

Izuku packed up his bag and quickly left the classroom. Once in the hallway he looked around for Kacchan. His friend must have gotten sick of waiting and headed out because Izuku was alone in the hallway. He started off towards the school gate with a shrug.

The empty hallway was quiet, and it made Izuku feel on edge. He wasn't used to these halls being anything but filled with noisy students going about their days. Izuku shrugged his bag further up on his shoulders and walked a little faster.

Izuku rounded a corner and saw two women speaking further down. Something felt wrong. Izuku wasn't sure what made him feel like the two women were dangerous, but he didn't want to be anywhere near them. He hid beside a nearby set of lockers and tried to listen to what they were talking about.

"There wasn't anything interesting here," the one on the left whined. She stood a few inches taller than the other and had her fiery red hair up in a bun whereas the other woman had dark black hair which hung down to her shoulders. Izuku had never seen either of them before. He wondered how they had gotten onto the school grounds.

"Just take a whiff," the other woman snapped at her. "These halls stink of demigod. We're missing something." What did she say? Demigod?

"Everything smells like demigod these days," the first one groaned. "Let's just get out of here. I'm tired of this."

"I doubt it, let's take one more look around." The two women turned and began walking away from Izuku. Izuku almost jumped for joy at seeing them depart. He was terrified of these women. As it was, he put his hand against the locker and leaned out to watch them depart. He leaned further and further out to watch them go, until he was too far out and fell with a thud. He lay on the ground, frozen in horror, and listened for a sign that they had heard him.

"Well," he heard said in a pleased hiss, "looks like something interesting may have found us."

"Yesss," the other responded and Izuku heard her take a deep breath through her nose. "Smells just right, doesn't it?"

Izuku dared to look up and the two women were already upon him. They had been on the other side of the hall not moments ago, but now they were mere steps from him. Izuku scrambled backwards and got to his feet.

"Wha-what do you want?" Izuku asked them. He was doing his best to be brave, but his knees were shaking so hard that they were knocking together.

"We just wanted to find you," the red head purred. She reached out a hand and traced it along Izuku's jaw. "You're going to help us with a very special dinner tonight."

"N-no thank you," Izuku stammered out. "M-mom's making ka-katsudon tonight."

"Oh?" the black-haired woman questioned. "But that would hurt out feelings. You wouldn't want to do that would you?"

Izuku wasn't sure he could respond. He didn't want to be here anymore, and he really didn't want to go to dinner with these women. Luckily someone else was there to respond for him.

"Jeez ladies," someone said from behind Izuku. "He's awfully young for you to be inviting him out to dinner, don't ya think?"

Izuku snapped his head around and found a man dressed all in black standing at the end of the hall. Izuku tried to sprint to his side, just to be away from these women. A hand clamped down on his shoulder as he tried, and he found himself held in its steely grip.

"What can I say?" the black-haired woman said as she stepped in front of Izuku and her companion. "I like 'em young," she shrugged. As she shrugged her arms grew longer. Her skin grew an impossible grey color and stretched thin across her frame. She grew taller, her hair thinned out, and a set of leathery wings sprouted from her hips. She looked like the mummies Izuku saw in history books combined with a bat. "Once you lot grow up, you tend to be more trouble than your worth."

The man seemed far less terrified of the woman's transformation into a monster than Izuku. He huffed and drew a dagger from his sleeve. It was a beautiful golden color and its edge gleamed dangerously. The two dashed at each other but Izuku missed what happened. At the same time the woman who was holding Izuku by the shoulder suddenly picked him up around the waist and took off in the other direction.

Izuku screamed and tried to hit the woman but his blows didn't seem to affect her. There was a loud flapping and Izuku saw the same leathery wings coming from this woman too. She was using them to pseudo fly down the hallway.

Izuku heard a shriek from behind him and his stomach dropped even further. The man was going to die. He had died trying to help Izuku. It was his fault. He was ripped from these thoughts as something wrapped around his ankles and ripped him from the mummy woman's grasp.

Strong hands caught him and suddenly he was being carried away from the woman. He looked and saw the man in black carrying him now. A white scarf Izuku hadn't noticed before lay loose around his shoulders and the was a cut on his forehead that bled into his eyes.

"You okay kid?" the man asked him.

Izuku didn't manage to respond before another shriek filled the hallway. It chilled Izuku to the bone. The first shriek had been one of anguish, this was one of rage.

"Doesn't sound like she's cutting her loses," the man groaned. He stopped and broke open one of the lockers. "Hide in here. You need to be quiet. I'll be back for you. Okay?"

Izuku looked at the man and then at the locker. He hated the idea of trapping himself in a small metal box. The screaming of the woman from down the hall convinced him to get in. The man quickly shut the door and took several steps back the way they came.

Izuku watched through the thin slots on the front of the locker as the woman came rushing around a corner. For the first time he saw her face. It was horribly mutated. A long snout had grown to replace her mouth and nose, but she had no lips. Her teeth her permanently bared in a gruesome snarl with overly large canines. Her ears went up in sharp points and her eyes were a piercing blue.

"You killed my sister," she snarled. So, the women were sisters. That made sense with how similar their quirks were. Izuku wished he could feel bad about the death of the black-haired woman, but he felt relieved that she wasn't going to show up and gang up on the man.

"She didn't exactly leave me much choice," the man shot back. "You can still walk away though. Leave. Let's be done with this."

"You should be so lucky," the woman snapped. "I'll feast on your entrails and bathe in your blood."

Izuku's stomach felt like it was doing summersaults. He wanted to throw up and run away but he stayed perfectly still and watched. He watched as the two dashed towards each other, one wielding dagger like claws, the other wielding a claw like dagger. The man ducked beneath a swipe from the woman and slashed her across the chest. Foul black blood began to stain the front of her shirt.

The man jumped back as the woman swiped at him again. He jumped up and flipped over her and as he flew his scarf flew out and wrapped around her torso, pinning her arms to her side. The moment the man landed, she flung herself at him with her jaw wide open. He brought his dagger up and slammed it into the bottom of her jaw. Instantly a grey dust filled the air and the woman was gone.

The man stood there for a moment, panting, before he hid the dagger back up his sleeve and made his way to the locker Izuku was stashed in. He opened the door and Izuku fell out. He got to his feet only realized now that he was back in the light of the hall that he was shaking.

"Hey," the man said softly. He kneeled down and put his hands on Izuku's shoulders. "It's okay. They aren't going to hurt you."

"Who..." Izuku sobbed. His throat felt too dry and scratchy to manage anything else.

"My name is Eraserhead," the man, Eraserhead told him. "I'm a pro-hero. Can I take you to your mom? Is she outside?"

Izuku nodded and the man quickly scooped him up. He cried into the hero's shoulder and tried to regain some composure before anyone saw him like this. He missed the man pull out his phone and shoot a quick text. It read:

**S: Hizashi, kid was attacked. He's fine but he saw everything. You have to tell him.**


	5. Ground Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth is not always as simple as we think it is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This chapter is extra long because I wanted to get through laying the initial ground work for the story. Next chapter is going to have a bit of a time skip and maybe a surprise I'm playing around with. Only time will tell I suppose.

Izuku sat on the couch leaning into his mother. The hero Eraserhead sat in the armchair nearby and sipped at a cup of tea. They had been sitting like this, mostly in silence, for about half an hour. Izuku just wanted to do anything else. Sitting still like this was driving him crazy. Something kept him in place and unmoving though.

Finally, a knock on the door broke the silence. Whatever spell had kept him in place disappeared. Izuku sprang to his feet snatching at the opportunity to get out of the room.

"I'll get it mamma," he said and quickly moved to the door. Izuku breathed a sigh of relief as he turned away from the tense scene and he went and opened the door. Present Mic was standing on the other side with a smile on his face. It wasn't his usual smile though. That smile was big and loud. This smile was soft, and it seemed weak in a way.

"Hey there little listener," Mic greeted Izuku and ruffled his hair. "Heard you had quiet the day. How ya holding up?"

"I'm okay," Izuku told him. "Everybody seems really tense though. Did I do something wrong?"

Something flashed across Present Mic's face, but it was quickly replaced with the same small smile. "No kiddo," he assured the young boy. "You didn't do anything wrong. I just want to talk to your mom about what happened is all."

"Okay," Izuku nodded and led Present Mic towards the others. He didn't feel any relief at the hero's words, but he knew he couldn't avoid whatever this was.

Izuku retook his spot on the couch next to his mom and Present Mic stood next to his friend. Izuku resisted the urge to go back to hiding behind his mother. Present Mic's presence made him feel more comfortable and he didn't want to embarrass himself in front of his hero.

"Inko," Mic began.

"No," Izuku's mom cut the hero off. Izuku was shocked. He had never heard his mom use that tone of voice with anyone but himself, and even that was only one time when he had broken her favorite vase while playing with Kacchan. "We agreed he didn't need to know."

"That was before," Present Mic insisted. "When we weren't even sure if we were right. From the interactions with these villains we know for sure now."

"How did they even get into the school?" his mom questioned hotly. "They have security, don't they?"

"This wasn't the first attempt," the hero Eraserhead butted in. This wasn't the first attempt? Had those strange women tried to break into the school before, Izuku wondered. "From what the school told me; they've kept a number of suspicious characters from entering the school over the last year. I've been intercepting a number of villains targeting the area as well."

"And what exactly is your stake in all this Mr. Eraserhead?" his mom turned on the hero. "I am grateful for you protecting my son, but I still don't understand what you were even doing in the school."

"I asked him to keep an eye out for trouble," Present Mic explained.

"An eye out?" his mom pressed.

"I'm an underground hero, so I do most of my patrolling at night," Eraserhead explained. Izuku had never heard of an underground hero. He thought of Eraserhead digging through the earth to attack villains. "Mic knew this and asked if I could stop by when I could. He wanted me to make sure your son made it back from his classes safely."

"Izuku only has to walk from his classroom to the school gate," his mom practically whispered. "I meet him there every day."

"And I've stopped a number of attacks that targeted him during that window," Eraserhead nodded.

"Then I'll pull him out," his mother exclaimed resolutely. She clutched Izuku to her side and he felt the cold pit in his stomach tighten. "He can learn at home. They have online programs and tutors and I can switch to working from home more and I can-"

Present Mic cut her off with a gentle hand on her shoulder. He had moved to kneel down in front of her.

"Take a deep breath Inko," he said to calm her. "It's okay." Only when she had taken several breaths and regained her composer did he continue. "You could pull Izuku out of school. But is that really what you want? He'd still be a target anytime he left the house. Would you forbid him from ever leaving?"

"It would keep him safe," his mom weakly tried.

"Maybe," Mic shrugged. "But he'd grow up without meeting new people, without going on adventures out in the sun, or playing in the rain."

Izuku looked up at his mom and saw she was really pale. "Mamma?" Izuku asked. "What is it mamma? What's wrong?"

Izuku's mom looked down at him and Izuku saw that she had tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry Izuku," she told him. "I didn't want you to have to give up your childhood. I thought I could protect you."

"Protect me from what mamma?" Izuku asked fearfully. He didn't want to know. Not really. Whatever it was, it terrified him already. If it could make his mom, the strongest person he knew, scared, then he definitely didn't want anything to do with it.

"Izuku honey it's about your father," she began. Izuku rarely got to hear about his father. It made him far more curious about what his mother was telling him, but it did nothing to get rid of the cold knot. Was he sending villains after Izuku? "Hisashi is a powerful man. He told me his father is even more powerful. They have enemies, powerful enemies. When they found out that Hisashi had a son, that you were his son, they sent a villain after you."

Izuku felt a twinge in his shoulder and his hand went to the still fresh scar. "The time during recess," he realized.

His mother just nodded. She was biting her lip and tears were flowing down her face. Mic shifted from his spot kneeling in front of her so that he faced Izuku instead.

"At the time we could only guess," the hero told him. "Now we know for sure. That was the first attempt that these villains tried to get to you. I've been helping to keep an eye on you. Helping to keep you safe. And I'm going to continue to do so."  
  


Izuku looked at his hero. Present Mic had always been around. He'd been there when Izuku started kindergarten. He'd been there for Christmas and New Year’s. He'd even been there the first time Izuku had played his guitar in public. He had always been cheerful. He had always brightened up any room.

Now Present Mic looked at him and Izuku saw the hero. He saw someone who had stood between Izuku and dangers he hadn't even known existed. Present Mic looked at Izuku and Izuku saw the strength in his gaze. Tears began to sting at Izuku's eyes.

"Thank you, Present Mic," Izuku sobbed. He threw himself as the hero and clung to him. He buried his face into the man's shoulder and cried. Present Mic put a hand on Izuku's head and let him stay there until he had cried himself out, which was quiet awhile.

Finally, Izuku embarrassedly pried himself off of Present Mic's jacket and sat back down on the couch.

"Izuku," his mother said. She put a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to look into her blood shot eyes, she had been crying as well. "Izuku honey, there's something else." She looked to Present Mic who only nodded for her to continue. "I wasn't sure at first. But I think Present Mic is right. Izuku, Present Mic has offered to train you to defend yourself."

Izuku looked between his mom and Present Mic a few times. "Train?" he wondered aloud. "Like what heroes do?"

"Sort of," Present Mic chuckled. "You'd learn how to fight and when to run. We'd work on your quirk too."

Izuku was stunned. He wanted to be a hero when he grew up. What kid didn't these days? Here was a hero offering to train him. So why didn't he feel excited? Why was there an ice cold know in his stomach that only seemed to tighten?

"C-can Kacchan train too?" Izuku asked. He wasn't sure why he asked it, but he didn't want to have to do this alone.

Present Mic and Eraserhead looked at each other. Izuku wasn't sure what was passing between the two of them as they didn't talk, but they stayed like that for what felt like forever. Eventually Eraserhead shrugged and Present Mic turned back to Izuku with a smile.

"How about he joins us every other day?" Present Mic asked. "He can join us on physical and quirk training days, but we're going to be covering some personal stuff that won't really apply to Katsuki.

"His mother will have to agree too," Izuku's mom chimed in. "So, don't go telling him like it’s a done deal. Actually, I'll call his mother tonight. That way you two can start tomorrow."

"I'll work on a schedule to give both the boys tomorrow then," Present Mic told her with a large smile on his face. "I can pick them up from school too."

"Thank you, Present Mic," his mom said. "I don't know what we'd do without you."

"It's my pleasure Inko," Present Mic assured her. He slapped his hand on his knees. "I think we've imposed enough for one night. Come on Eraser, let's go grab something to eat."

"You're both more than welcome to stay for dinner," his mom offered. Izuku knew it was the polite thing to say but he found himself wishing she hadn't said it.

"No thank you," Present Mic turned her down. He still had a kind smile on his face as he stood and began making his way to the door. Izuku felt a wave of relief wash through him that he would later remember with shame. "I have some paperwork I still need to file and Eraserhead starts his shift soon. It's been a pleasure."

Izuku's mom got up off the couch and followed Mic and Eraserhead to the door. Izuku stayed by his mother's side and tried to hide behind her leg.

"Bye Present Mic," Izuku murmured.

Present Mic knelt down so that he was on Izuku's level. "Don't worry little listener," he assured Izuku. "I know it's all pretty scary. But I want you to know that I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. Okay?"

All Izuku could do was nod. He buried his face in his mom's pants and felt the fabric grow wet. He must be crying. He whipped his face until he had stopped crying. He looked up at Present Mic and lost it again. He threw himself at the hero and gave him a tear-filled hug.

"Thank you, Present Mic," he sobbed into the hero's shoulder. "Thank you."

He stayed in the man's embrace until he had cried himself to sleep.

***

"This is the coolest thing you've ever managed Izuchan," Kacchan laughed. "I've been begging this cockatiel to show us the ropes for months."

Izuku smiled at his friend. He was glad that Kacchan was excited. Izuku felt like a rubber band about to snap. He hadn't been able to pay attention at all during class. Now they were sitting together in the back seat of Present Mic's car. The hero seemed to take no offense at being compared to a bird and kept his eyes on the road.

Izuku hadn't told Kacchan about yesterday. He just said Mic had suggested it and that his mom had agreed. It wasn't a lie, not really. Izuku just wasn't excited at the idea of talking about the strange women and how they had exploded into dust. He hadn't even told his mom about them.

"We're almost there," Present Mic called back.

"And where is there?" Kacchan snarked.

"You'll see," was the only answer he got. Mic had been tight lipped about where they were headed since they had gotten into the car.

"What do you think we'll get to do first?" Kacchan asked. In standard Kacchan fashion he answered his own question before Izuku had a chance. "I hope it's practicing with our quirks. I want to prove my quirk is stronger than yours."

"That's not fair Kacchan," Izuku whined. "You know mom won't let me practice my quirk in the house."

"You should use it at school then," Kacchan retorted.

"That's against the rules," Izuku said with a roll of his eyes. They had had this debate a number of times.

"You're the only one that follows that rule," Kacchan reminded him yet again.

"Heroes can't go breaking the rules just because everyone else is," Izuku reasoned. "They're supposed to set an example."

Kacchan looked like he wanted to argue further but both boys quieted as Present Mic turned the engine of the car off. They had arrived. Present Mic got out and opened the door for the boys. They scrambled out of the car and stood staring at the massive building before them.

Izuku gripped onto Kacchan's arm. "Kacchan," he excitedly exclaimed while bouncing with excitement. "It's UA! Present Mic brought us to UA!"

"I can see that," Kacchan murmured. He too was staring up at the grand building in awe.

Present Mic broke them out of their trances with a laugh. He put a hand on both their heads and ruffled their hair. "Thought you little listeners would enjoy the surprise," he said. "I called in a few favors to get access to the training facilities."

Izuku was stunned that Present Mic could do something that seemed so impossible. Present Mic handed both boys lanyards with ID badges attached and made his way into the school. Izuku followed the hero as he led them through the halls.

Present Mic led them to a locker room, and they changed into loose clothes. Izuku and Kacchan didn't talk the entire time. Izuku's mouth felt too dry to even try. This was it they were going to start training to be heroes. Not just heroes but the best heroes.

After they changed, they made their way back out and Present Mic led on chatting the whole time. They came to a large gym with blue mats covering the floors. Present Mic made his way to the center of the room before sitting down. He waited for the boys to sit across from him before he began to speak.

"What's the most important thing for a hero when he fights a villain?" he asked them.

"To kick ass," Kacchan answered crudely.

"To save people," Izuku offered when Present Mic looked at him expectedly.

"Your both wrong," Present Mic told them. Kacchan made an indignant grunt and Izuku looked at him confused. Wasn't it a hero's job to save everyone? "Both of your answers are important goals for a hero, but they shouldn't be a hero's top priority."

"But isn't it a hero's job to save everyone?" Izuku asked him.

"Everyone they can," Present Mic corrected him.

"What's the difference?" Kacchan pressed.

"Sometimes a hero can't save everyone," Present Mic explained. "When that happens, when a hero finds themselves overwhelmed, that's when a hero has to remember their top priority." Present Mic paused and looked at both boys. His eyes were very serious, and it put Izuku on edge, awaiting the answer. "Survival."

A heavy pause followed Present Mic's words. Izuku and Kacchan shared puzzled looks and turned back to the hero.

"What do you mean?" Izuku asked. His voice was quiet and sounded weak to his ears.

"The most important thing in any fight, in any disaster, is to make sure that you survive," Present Mic told them. "If you find yourself outmatched or overwhelmed, run. Get out of danger and regroup."

"No way!" Kacchan shouted rising to his feet. "I'm gonna be the number one hero! I'm gonna be so strong that no one can stop me!"

"Bakugo," Present Mic sighed. "I admire your passion, but you need to understand that no one is invincible or infallible."

"What does infallible mean?" Izuku asked.

"It means that you can't fail," Present Mic sighed. "Everyone fails and that's okay. We can learn from our failures and grow stronger as a result."

Kacchan scowled down at the ground. Izuku was similarly frustrated. Heroes didn't fail. Did they?

"It's okay if you don't understand or accept everything yet," Present Mic told them. "Your still kids, you have plenty of time to learn what I mean. Why don't we get started on training?"

Kacchan and Izuku both nodded, the earlier excitement lacking from them both.

***

Izuku collapsed down on the mat. They had started by running through emergency scenarios and Izuku and Kacchan had to decide how best to handle the situations and then they had moved on to practicing with their quirks. Izuku had learned that he could move the flame away from his mouth which was cool. The problem was all the whistling had left his throat dry and scratchy. It didn't help that he felt like he had been running around outside and couldn't catch his breath.

"That was good," Present Mic told the exhausted boys. "It's only day one and I can tell you both have real potential."

"What. did. you. expect?" Kacchan asked through his pants. He was laying sprawled out next to Izuku and looked just as exhausted.

"So Izuku," Present Mic continued. "I'll see you tomorrow. Bakugo I'll see you on Friday."

"Why does Izuchan get extra training?" Kacchan griped. You wouldn't think that he'd be so desperate for more after what they had just been through but Kacchan was never one to quit.

"Did your mom tell you what this training was about Bakugo?" Present Mic asked the boy.

"'Course," he answered. "You and auntie are worried cause of that villain attack yesterday."

"Did she say anything else?" Present Mic asked.

"No," Kacchan replied.

Present Mic sighed. He looked like he was thinking through the situation carefully. He turned to Izuku.

"This is your choice," Mic told him. "I won't tell him anymore than that if you don't want me to."

"The hell are you talking about," Kacchan snapped. "Izuchan don't leave me out of this."

Izuku looked at his best friend and saw the annoyance plain on his face. He saw the fear hidden beneath it too. The way his eyes darted back and forth between Izuku and Present Mic as though they were laughing at him behind his back. He sighed; a sigh heavier than was normal for a five-year-old. Izuku was in danger. Kacchan would be in danger every time they hung out.

"We should tell him," Izuku murmured softly. "He needs know so that if he doesn't want to be my friend he doesn't have to be."

Present Mic looked at the green haired boy with a brief look of surprise before hiding it behind a sad smile. "That's very mature Izuku," he told him. "Bakugo," he said as he turned back to Izuku's best friend, "the villains that attacked yesterday were after Izuku."

"What!?" Kacchan exploded. "What do you mean they were after Izuchan!? Why would they want him?"

Izuku tried not to flinch at his friend's words. He probably didn't mean them to be so insulting. He was just surprised and trying to understand.

"Izuku's father has dangerous enemies," Present Mic explained. "Enemies that would hope to get to him through Izuku."

"That's bullshit!" Kacchan cried. "That old fart isn't even around. He doesn't care about Izuku."

"Whether that's true or not," Present Mic continued unperturbed, "the fact remains the villains know who he is and won't stop coming after him. The extra lessons are going to focus on learning about these villains. They're not interested in you so it's not something you need to worry about."

"But that's so dumb!" Kacchan exclaimed. "Izuchan is my best friend. If someone is after him then I want to help keep him safe! I need to know about these villains so I can fight them!" Izuku smiled at his friend. If Kacchan was gonna stand by his side, then he knew they could handle anything.

Present Mic looked at Kacchan surprised. He sat and thought for a minute. "You make a good point," he murmured.

"Of course I have a good point!" Kacchan went on. "I'm not going anywhere."

"You'll learn things that might be hard to accept," Present Mic told him. He had a steely seriousness that made Izuku shrink in on himself. Kacchan on the other hand was undeterred.

"I'm gonna be the number one hero," he proclaimed. "I'm not scared." Izuku felt tears collecting in his eyes. Kacchan was

Present Mic sighed. "Izuku," he said turning to him. "I have a confession." Izuku looked at the man in shock.

"What do you mean," he asked the hero.

"Izuku I know more about your father than I told your mom," Mic said. "But you can't tell her or anyone else." Izuku looked at his friend and hero and saw that he was still very serious.

"But why?" Izuku asked.

"It's not something that's very easy to accept," he explained. "Most people wouldn't believe you anyways. Those that did would only put you in danger. So, I have to ask you. Do you trust Bakugo? Do you trust him to keep your secret?"

Izuku looked at Kacchan and saw that he was staring at Izuku expectantly. "Y-yes," Izuku nodded. "I'd trust Kacchan with anything."

"Izuku what do you know about the gods?" Mic asked.

"Well," he said, "there's Amaterasu, Izanagi, Tsukuyomi-"

"Those are some of the Japanese gods," Present Mic interrupted. "Do you know any others from other places?"

"W-well, there's Vishnu, Shiva, Ganesh-"

"And those are Hindu," Mic interrupted again. "But there are lots of others. The gods have many names and many faces. All of them are different names and different aspects of the same gods."

"What does any of this have to do with Izu?" Kacchan asked.

"Izuku's father was a god," Present Mic said simply.

"Bullshit," Kacchan replied hotly.

"It's true," Present Mic assured him. "It used to be that the gods visited Japan only rarely. They would move around with the western society. At first it was Greece, then Rome, Greece again, France, England, then finally America. While America was strong their ties with Japan grew and we shared our two cultures to the point that they were indistinguishable. When America fell after WWIII Japan became the new center for the west.

"The gods settled here," he continued. "The west had shaped the gods over thousands of years with their beliefs. They were different from the gods as we knew them. Japanese belief was strong though. Whereas the West had forgotten the gods, treated them only as legends, here we still make offerings, here we still look for them.

"The gods were changed by our influence," he explained. "In the west the gods had struggled with their many aspects, their many names. The stories would conflict and contradict each other and so too did the gods faces. Here they found piece in our faith. Greek, Roman, Norse, Japanese; they were many and they were one."

"So what kind is Izuku's dad?" Kacchan asked awestruck. Izuku would have asked if he wasn't so enthralled by everything Present Mic was telling him.

"He is one kind and he is all," Present Mic told them. "The gods are less defined then you or I. The tradition amongst the old children of the gods, was to call them by the names of the aspects that they were tied to. These days we call them by the Greek names, the oldest names, because the aspects no longer have different forms like they did back then."

"When the gods arrived," Mic went on. "They weren't used to mortals believing in them. Their children had been protected before because they could hide among normal people and those around them would be none the wiser. The first demigod born in Japan was a son of Apollo. From the very day of his birth, the world knew he was special. He glowed."

"The luminescent baby?" Izuku asked in disbelief.

"The one and only," Mic nodded. "The gods tried to slow down. Tried to have less kids. They weren't all that good at it though, and soon lots of demigods were being born. Their powers became known as quirks."

"But lots of people have quirks," Kacchan noticed. "I have one and I'm not a dem-whatever."

"So too do your parents," Present Mic said. "But somewhere in your family tree there are gods. You're not in as much danger as a demigod but you're not exactly mortal either."

"Awesome," Kacchan whispered.

"How do you know all this?" Izuku wondered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"My mom is a goddess," he shrugged. "When I went to UA, I met someone who recognized the signs. He helped me learn about what I was and learn how to protect myself."

"Do you know who she is?" Izuku asked.

"Her name is Euterpe," Mic told them. "She's goddess of music."

"Did you ever get to meet her?" Izuku asked. He thought about his dad showing up. Telling him who he was. Marrying his mom and being his dad.

"No," Present Mic sighed. "Most demigods never meet their other parent. The gods don't exactly make a point of stopping by for dinner."

"Then how do you know who you mom is?" Kacchan asked.

"The gods sometimes send signs to claim their kids," Mic explained. "It can be an animal that's associated with that god, a holographic symbol, or-"

He was cut off as an arrow burst through the window and pierced the ground at Izuku's feet. The three of them sat in stunned silence and stared at the golden arrow between them.

"Or an arrow I suppose," Present Mic said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everybody for reading! I love reading your comments so if you enjoyed it please let me know!


	6. Song bird

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku is met with danger, a new hero, and the promise of a burger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So big time jump. Izuku is now in highschool and looking at college choices. I decided to make UA a university because I've already got one fic where it's high school, it makes me feel less weird about shipping, and it makes more sense to me to train adults who can understand better the weight of their choice in career.

Izuku sat in his seat not really paying attention to the teacher or processing what was around him. His foot was tapping, and he was staring out the window. He was focusing on trying to find the music to describe the day. A song of longing maybe. He pictured a songbird trapped in a cage, longing to spread its wings.

He was ripped from his own mind when the sound of laughter filled the room. He looked around and realized everyone was staring at Kacchan.

"What, you extras?" Kacchan demanded as he shot to his feet. "I'm aiming for the top and no one can stand in my way!"

"Sit down Bakugo." Bakugo begrudgingly sat back in his seat. "Now that I think of it," the teacher murmured as he rifled through papers, "someone else put UA too right?"

Izuku sighed. It had been him of course. If he hadn't put it then Kacchan would have thrown a fit.

"Ah," the teacher exclaimed as he held up Izuku's form in triumph. "Midoriya, you put UA down as well."

"Yes sir," Izuku nodded.

"Hmm," the teacher mused as he read the whole paper. "You also put down Senzoku College of Music. Quiet lofty goals. I wish you luck."

"Thank you, sir," Izuku said. There was no laughter this time. Izuku's classmates stared at him and murmured amongst themselves. Kacchan glowered at him and Izuku turned back to the window. He tried to imagine the songbird.

***

As the bell rang Izuku began packing up his bag. He didn't get far before Kacchan snatched his hero notebook off his desk.

"I still don't see why you want to apply anywhere but UA," he remarked as he slammed down in the seat in front of his, facing backwards so they could talk.

"I just want to know if I'm good enough to get in," Izuku told him. He didn't look at his friend as he continued to pack up his school supplies.

"You know you are dumbass," Kacchan rolled his eyes. "But you should be focusing on preparing for the UA entrance exam."

Izuku couldn't help the laugh that escaped him. "You're kidding right?" Izuku teased. They got to their feet and began walking out of the school. "We've spent the last eleven years doing nothing but training."

"That's different and you know it," Kacchan insisted with a wild grin spreading across his face. "This isn't just about survival. We've finally got a chance to show off a little."

"I guess," Izuku relented. "I just don't see what the big deal is."

"You wouldn't," Kacchan snarked shaking his head. "Look. This is our chance to prove we mean business and show everyone that we're strong enough. We're gonna be top heroes one day and it all starts here."

Izuku sighed. "All right Kacchan," he nodded.

***

Izuku was walking home alone a few hours later. Kacchan had had to go shopping with his mom so it had just been him and Present Mic training today. They had worked on wresting and knife fights. Things he could use if he was attacked in public again. Mic, for all the happy personality and encouragement, had stopped pulling his punches during their training years ago.

He thought back to how easy it had all started. When they were five years old and "training" their quirks, bodies, and minds. It had been little more than play time. Now he left with bruises and cuts. He woke up sore in the morning. But at least he was alive.

Izuku had been forced to use his training more times than he cared to count. There had been the chimera that had ambushed his third-grade field trip, the oni that snuck into the school during the fifth-grade talent show, and who could forget the time an army of naiads had terrorized Tokyo after a bad Typhoon to name just a few. He didn't always get away unscathed, but he always got away with his life.

Lost in thought Izuku didn't notice the manhole cover opening behind him. Nor did he notice the thing that slithered out of the sewer until it started speaking.

"A meal," a raspy voice groaned. The sound grated horribly in Izuku's ears. He spun around and stared at the creature behind him. It was a strange blob of grayish green ooze. Looking at its razor-sharp teeth caused Izuku to suppress a shudder.

"Look," Izuku reasoned. He held his hands up and took a step back. "I'm really not in the mood. What do you say you go your way and I go mine?" The creature didn't respond but continued to stare at Izuku like a hungry dog stares at a steak. Izuku sighed and readied himself.

Oozy tentacles shot out of the creature and at Izuku. He dove out of their path and crashed into the nearby wall. He stumbled back and shook the stars from his eyes.

"Stay still so I can eat you," the creature rasped at him as it shot more tentacles at him.

"No thanks," Izuku said as he ducked beneath them. "I'd be more than happy to take you out for some katsudon though."

The creature actually paused for a moment and Izuku wondered if it was considering his proposition or trying to deduce what katsudon was. His hopes of a peaceful resolution were dashed when a tentacle grabbed his ankle.

The creature had been tricking him and Izuku fell for the ruse. Izuku tried to kick off the tentacle but it's grasp was firm on him. The creature rushed forward and engulfed him in the putrid sludge that made up its body. Izuku couldn't breathe, which meant he couldn't whistle either. He reached down into his boot and drew his dagger. He slashed all around him but the creature hardly seemed to notice. His vision grew dark and he struggled to hold on to consciousness, but soon he fell into the void.

***

All Might popped out of the sewer with relief that the villain was still here. That relief quickly turned to horror as he saw a young boy trapped in its gelatinous body. "Never fear," he shouted as he rushed forward, "I am here!" He grabbed the boy's arm and unleashed a devastating blow. The wind that moved with his punch blew the villain away and scattered him across the walls of the tunnel.

All Might set the boy down on a clean section of the floor and dumped the soda he had just bought with a sigh. He took the empty bottles and collected as much of the villain as he could. He stood up and began making his way to the young boy, when he saw a notebook on the floor.

He picked it up to sign it for the boy but when he opened it what he saw made him pause. The pages were filled with what looked like hero profiles, with hand drawn portraits and notes, but he couldn't make out the words. He tried flipping the page upside down and sideways but no matter which way he held the book he couldn't make any sense out of it. With a shrug he flipped to a blank page and signed it.

All Might walked over to the boy and set the notebook next to him. He stooped down and began gently slapping his face trying to wake him. After a few moments he began to worry. Had the boy been in worse condition then he had thought? His slaps came a little faster in his panic but at least the boy began to stir.

The boy's eyes snapped open and took a moment to focus on him. All Might laughed as his eyes blew wide at seeing him. He sat up tried to speak but he was forced to lurch over and cough until all of the sludge had made it out of his lungs. All Might put his hand on the boy's back and waited.

"I'm glad to see that you're okay," All Might said softly once the boy had caught his breath. "I'm sorry that you got caught up in that at all. I was chasing that villain through the sewers, but he got away from me."

"It was an eurynomos right?" the boy asked him. Seemed the coughing had helped him calm down, or maybe forced him to.

"I'm sorry?" All Might asked a tad confused. The boy looked at him and rolled his eyes.

"It's okay," the boy told him. "I'm a half-blood."

"That's nice," All Might said now completely lost. The boy got to his feet and began brushing himself off. He might be in shock; he wasn't reacting to having nearly died at all. All Might wanted to make sure he was okay, but he could feel his time running out. "I'm afraid I should be on my way."

"You're leaving already?" the boy questioned.

"A hero's greatest enemy is time," All Might remarked. It was especially true for him. He got into a deep squat.

All Might straightened out of his squat and stared at the boy. Whatever he had to say was important. Maybe not to All Might, but for this boy it might be the most important thing in the world.

"I don't have much time," All Might tried again but he knew it was in vain. He had to know what the boy's question was. He tensed up and tried to hold on to his power for just a little longer. He watched as the boy wrung his hands together. He wouldn't make eye contact with the hero. It made him seem smaller and younger than he really was.

"Do I have to be a hero?" the boy finally asked.

Whatever All Might had been expecting it wasn't that. He was asked each and every day by fans what it took to be a hero. He was used to encouraging the hopeful. He didn't know what to do with this.

"Not if you don't want to," All Might answered gently. "What brought this on?"

The boy didn't seem relieved by All Might's words but shamed. "All my life I've had to deal with monsters," the boy told him. "I had to train just to survive. Every day became a struggle but no one else saw it like that. They just saw me training to be a hero. They told me that I was gonna be a great hero."

"At first," the boy continued, and All Might heard the longing in his voice, "I loved it. I wanted to be a hero and I wanted to save people. I remember watching the video of your debut a thousand times and dreaming of being just like you. But that was then."

"My boy," All Might said as knelt down in front of him. He placed his hand on the boy's shoulder and waited for the boy to look at him before he continued. "You can be whatever _you_ want to be."

Tears filled the boy’s eyes and he flung his arms around All Might in a desperate hug. All Might tried to hold on, but he'd spent too much time here. He felt his form deflate in a puff of smoke as the boy cried into his shirt.

"My boy," All Might spoke, hating how weak his voice sounded. The boy looked up and saw Toshinori and Toshi's heart sank the way his eyes blew open in show.

"All Might!?!" the boy shouted. His eyes narrowed in determination and he threw himself off of Toshi. "You're not All Might. What are you? Some kind of shapeshifter?"

"It's me all right," Toshi assured him. He leaned against the tunnel wall and cringed at the exhaustion that washed over him. "This is my true form."

The boy eyed him suspiciously before seeming to accept his words. "What happened?" he asked.

Toshi sighed. He knew this form was emaciated but it still hurt to know that his weakness was so obvious. "I was in a fight a number of years ago," Toshi told him and pulled up his shirt to display the grisly scar on his chest. "I was injured quiet horribly. The doctors removed my stomach and most of a lung, but I survived. Now I struggle just to be a hero."

"Why do it then All Might?" the boy asked in awe.

"Please, it would be better if you called me Yagi in this form," Toshi told him. "I keep up my work as a hero because all I ever wanted was to make people feel safe. To make sure everyone knew that I was strong enough to protect them."  
  


"Why tell me all this?" the boy asked.

It was a valid question, and All Might digested it for a moment before he answered. "I suppose I'm hoping that by understanding you'll be more likely to keep my secret. No one can know."

"I won't tell anyone," the boy promised.

"What's your name my boy?" Toshi finally asked.

"Midoriya Izuku, sir," Midoriya told him.

"Well Midoriya I hope to meet again," Toshi finished and turned to leave when explosions in the distance began ringing out. The two looked at each other and dashed towards the sound in step with each other.

"Did you get the eyes?" Midoriya shouted as they weaved through the crowded streets.

"What?" Toshi asked him.

"The eurynomos' eyes. Did you claim the eyes?" he asked again.

"No?" Toshi answered in confusion.

The boy cursed and redoubled his sprint. He got to the crowd gathering at the mouth of the side street just before Toshi and began weaving his way to the front. Toshi was tall enough to see the villain from earlier in the middle of the street surrounded by heroes. None of them came close. Toshi wondered what held them back when he noticed another boy within the villain's body.

The boy was the same age as Midoriya. His quirk seemed to be explosions from his hands, and it was strong enough that the villain was able to use it to keep the heroes at bay. Fires raged around the alley and the heroes had to worry about that as well as the villain. All Might wished he had anytime left. It was his fault. He hadn't secured the villain properly and now this boy's death was going to be on his conscience.

Distracted with his own self-loathing Toshi almost missed the flash of green. Midoriya had ducked around Death Arms and was rushing at the villain. The crowd around him shouted in shock and fear as he drew near to his target. A loud scream like whistle, similar to that of large raptor, sounded out and from the flames formed a bird.

The fiery bird too rushed at the villain. The crowd turned their attention to this fiery apparition as it soared through the narrow street, everyone but Toshi, and missed the knife that Midoriya threw from his boot. The blade and the bird each found their target, the villain's eyes, and the villain let loose a horrible scream of anguish.

Midoriya reached the villain and grabbed the other boy's hands. He pulled with visible effort and ripped the other boy from the sludge. The villain didn't give them any time to recover before he was bearing down on them again. The boys looked up at the villain and one last explosion ripped through the air.

Sludge began to rain down all around them and many of the people around Toshi began to flee the foul smelling down pour. The heroes rushed forward to check on the boy, but Toshi went and searched through the piles of greenish ooze. When he found what he was looking for, he dumped the sludge he had collected in the soda bottles earlier out and put the villain's bloody eyes in them instead.

Toshi walked over to the police and handed over the villain, playing the part of a concerned citizen rather well. After that was handled, he looked around for the boys. They were by an ambulance being checked over by paramedics. He was walking towards them when he noticed Kamui Woods slip something to young Midoriya. He made a mental note to ask about that later if he got the chance.

He wasn't but ten feet away from them when Midoriya made direct eye contact with him. Toshi stopped as the boy shook his head. _Later. _he mouthed.

Toshi felt a knot tighten in his stomach but he decided to respect the boy's wishes. He held back and watched as he chatted with the other boy. They were very close, if the jokes and shared laughs were any indication. They got up and left after getting the all clear and Toshi followed at a distance.

If Toshi had felt strange before, following two teenagers home had him feeling like he was wearing a giant neon sign that read 'creep'. He sighed in relief when, with a punch to the arm, the blond boy said his goodbye and turned down a different street.

Midoriya sighed and turned straight to where Toshi was hiding behind a light pole. "You can come out," he called.

"You knew I was there?" Toshi asked with an embarrassed chuckle as he stepped out.

"You're not exactly a rouge," Midoriya teased. "Don't feel too bad. I'm a little more observant than most."

Toshi eyed the boy and wondered who he really was. "I thought you didn't want to be a hero," Toshi remarked. "If that's true why did you step in and help that boy?"

"Kacchan is my friend," Midoriya said. "I couldn't just leave him."

"If that was all it was then why did you rush all the way there?" Toshi asked. "You didn't know that the villain had your friend, but you rushed towards the scene anyways."  
  


"I don't know," Midoriya answered shaking his head. "My feet just moved. I wasn't thinking."

Toshi smiled as he thought of his own story. The day he had jumped in front of a bus to save a random woman on the street. The gift she had offered when he had said the exact same thing.

"You remind me of myself when I was your age," Toshi told him. The boy's eyes went wide and he stared at the emancipated hero in disbelief. Toshi chuckled and nodded. "Why don't you let me buy you a burger and we can talk a little more?"

Toshi put an arm around the boy and they made their way to a fast food joint on the next street over. Toshi was gonna have to delve a little deeper here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What does All Might wanna talk about? ;)
> 
> Let me know what you guys thought about the chapter below. I love reading your comments.


	7. An Impossible Offer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku learns more about All Might than either of them bargained for, and maybe a little about himself along the way.

Izuku sat in the "American" diner across the booth from Yagi Toshinori, the man he was still trying to accept as being All Might. Yagi had filled the silence with some small talk, but it was awkward at best. Now they were just sitting in silence. Izuku looked around the place as they waited for their food. The diner around him seemed trapped in some bygone age, with its mini juke boxes, red pleather booths, and music so dated even Izuku had trouble naming the songs. They were the only people in the place besides the waitress, who had disappeared into the back immediately after taking their order.

Izuku had been trying not to think about Yagi's words, All Might's words. Sitting here though, they kept playing over and over again in his mind. If he was like All Might then maybe he was destined to be a hero.

The waitress dropped off their burgers and milkshakes. _Oh, thank gods, _Izuku thought as he dug into the burger, happy for an excuse to not be talking. He began stuffing the burger in his mouth, but Yagi took it as an opportunity to talk.

"Where did you learn to fight?" Yagi asked him just as he took a large bite.

Izuku was shocked. He had mentioned that he was trained sure, but why would that even be noteworthy for someone like All Might? He set down his burger, swallowed, and took a deep breath.

"What do you mean?" Izuku asked.

"Forgive me but you are quiet young," Yagi said. "Some, including myself, would say perhaps too young to have as much training as you do."

"People like us rarely have a choice," Izuku lamented.

This time it was Yagi who looked confused. "I assure you young man, whoever told you that, they were wrong," Yagi stated. "You are entitled to your youth. A youth free of worries and fights."

Izuku laughed bitterly. "Come on Yagi," he chided, "You can't believe that. What about you? I may not know exactly who your parent is, I'd guess Zeus, but I suppose Ares or Kratos are valid options," Izuku shook his head and pulled himself out of his thoughts before he began murmuring. "Regardless I know a demigod when I see one. And with powers like yours you'd have been a target from day one. Just like I was."

"A demi-what?" Yagi asked with a look of utter disbelief on his face. Izuku almost rolled his eyes, but something stopped him. Surely Yagi wasn't so strong as to have not needed it all explained to him.

Izuku eyed him cautiously. "Yagi," he started, but he paused as he tried to think of how to go about this conversation. "Yagi," he said again, "When you were young did anything strange happen?"

"Strange how?" Yagi asked cautiously. Izuku tried to read every detail of Yagi's expression but he was guarded and hard to read.

Izuku suppressed a shudder as thoughts of his own childhood filled his head. "Things like weird animals attacking you," he explained. "Or strangers showing up and taking special interest in you, maybe even attacking you too."

"No," Yagi told the now dumbfounded Izuku. "Are you saying that you've experienced these things?" Yagi's tone was one of utter disbelief and shock. It wasn't the type of thing just anybody could fake, and having seen Yagi's stealth skills he highly doubted he was lying. "Are you safe young man?"

Izuku couldn't believe what he was hearing. Yagi, possibly the most powerful demigod on the planet, had been able to live a peaceful life. He was feeling hot and thoughts were racing through him so fast he had trouble registering them.

"Well that's just great," Izuku spat, slamming his hands down on the table. "Go figure. Of course you were protected. Why wouldn't you be the gods favorite?"

Yagi looked taken aback at the sudden shift in tone. "Please," Yagi pleaded with him, his eyes darting around the empty diner, "calm down. I still don't understand."

Looking at the concerned man in front of him Izuku knew Yagi was right. Izuku was mad, maybe even furious, but he wasn't mad at Yagi. He took a few deep breaths, focusing on filling his lungs and emptying them completely.

"No," Izuku sighed shaking his head. "I guess you wouldn't." He took another deep breath and looked at Yagi across the table from him. The weak frame of his true form wasn't the symbol of strength and resolve that Izuku was used to, but he was still the number one hero. He didn't need to add another weight onto his shoulders. "That's okay. To answer your question, yes. All my life I've been targeted and attacked. I met someone who helped me learn to protect myself and I'm alive today because of them."

"Who?" Yagi asked.

Izuku just smiled and remembered all the times he had asked Present Mic who had been his mentor. Present Mic had never told him he'd always said the same thing. "It's not my place reveal the secrets of another," he echoed his mentor.

"That's a very noble answer," Yagi relented. "I won't push but know that if you need protection then you can always come to me."  
  


Izuku raised an eyebrow at that. "Planning to stick around?" he asked the hero. "Your office isn't very close."

Yagi cleared his throat and looked around the diner again. "About that," he began. "I wanted to talk to you about something." Seeing the number one hero looking flustered was quiet entertaining and Izuku tried his best to keep the smile off of his face. "Earlier you asked me if you had to be a hero. Let me ask you a question in turn. Do you want to be a hero?"

Izuku sighed. "I don't know anymore," he confessed. "I would love to be a musician or a singer. Join a band and travel the country. But I'm not the only one with a target on my back. I don't know if I'd feel right with leaving when I could do something."

Yagi smiled at him, but it didn't seem to reach his eyes. "You're very noble young man," he said and Izuku blushed. "You've placed a very large weight on your shoulders. You could choose to leave it to the heroes though. It is not your responsibility to save the world and no one would judge you for stepping back."

"I would," Izuku whispered staring down at his burger like it had wronged him. "That was always the problem."

"Then may I propose a solution?" Yagi asked. Izuku's eyes shot to the smiling hero in shock. "Why not do both?"

"What?" Izuku blinked at him.

"Why do you have to choose?" he chuckled. "Think about it. Lunch Rush runs a five-star restaurant in the heart of Tokyo. Uwabami is a minor movie star and advertisement queen. Present Mic hosts a radio show. Heroes are allowed to live a life beyond their career."

Izuku shook his head and thought about it. Izuku's life was survival. He hadn't been able to do things like join the school band or choir. But Yagi was right. Heroes weren't restricted in what they could do. Had he been thinking about it all wrong?

"But-" he shook his head.

"If you'd feel wrong leaving the world in the hands of another," Yagi pressed, "then wouldn't it be best to take it up yourself? If you want to be more than a hero, then who is standing in your way besides yourself?"

Izuku felt tears pricking at his eyes. _Fuck, _he thought as the full weight of Yagi's words weighed down on him. "You're right," he chuckled and wiped away the tears before they could really start flowing. "Of course you're right. I've been an idiot."

"I don't know about that," Yagi chuckled. He reached across the booth and place a hand on Izuku's shoulder. "Wanting to put your all into what you do is a very noble ideal, but happiness is not always found in nobility."

"I'll still do my best," Izuku said softly. "It wouldn't be right if I didn't."

Yagi beamed a smile at him so strong that for a moment, even in his true form, he looked just like All Might. "Brilliant!" he exclaimed. "Then I deem you worthy to inherit my power."

"W-what?" Izuku asked in disbelief. He was sure he had misheard him.

"My power," Yagi nodded. "A sacred torch passed down through the generations that has grown stronger with each wielder. It was given to me when I was your age, and now I deem you worthy to be my successor."

Izuku sat there stunned for what felt like whole minutes just staring at Yagi. "That's not how quirks work," he whispered suddenly very on edge.

"Every quirk is unique," Yagi reminded him completely missing Izuku's distress. Of course Izuku knew that he was right. He knew more about quirks than almost anybody. The way one's godly DNA expressed itself was random and dependent on a number of factors from who your ancestors were to the favor your family carried in the gods' eyes.

"It was a gift," Izuku echoed back as he accepted the idea.

"Yes," Yagi nodded. "One given to me when I was a young quirkless boy and one that allowed me to become the pillar of society. Now I am offering it to you."

Izuku digested exactly what Yagi had just told him. As the realization struck, he began to laugh. It started off as a chuckle and grew into a full body laughter that had him doubled over and grabbing at his stomach.

"You're a mortal," Izuku nearly shouted through the laughter and the tears. He couldn't believe it. It was impossible. He looked up and into the eyes of the thoroughly confused Yagi, which only served to prove it further to Izuku, and he doubled back over. Suddenly their entire conversation up to this point made much more sense. "How is that even possible? The odds must be astronomical!"

"I assure you young man I am not immortal," Yagi said, his voice laced with concern.

"No," Izuku shook his head. He managed to calm the laughing, but the smile was still on his face. "Not _i_mmortal, _a_ mortal. Oh gods how do I even explain this one?"

"Are you saying you're not mortal?" Yagi asked in disbelief.

"Kind of," Izuku nodded. "At least not fully. Yagi did you ever wonder where quirks came from?"

"As much as anyone I suppose," the hero said doubtfully. His guard had come back up.

"Well I _know_," Izuku told him. "The gods have been around a long time. They've gone by many names and taken many forms. Their kids have always had to struggle. Until recently they had to live in isolation and hide their powers. These days we call them heroes and their powers quirks."

"You're trying to tell me that everyone born with a quirk is half god?" Yagi asked in disbelief.

"No," Izuku assured him and Yagi seemed to sag in relief. "But they are related to someone who is. Only the quirkless are truly mortal."

"That's absurd," Yagi began. "My boy I'm sorry but whoever told you this was lying. I need you to tell me whoever it was. They could be manipulating you for-"

Yagi was cut off as Izuku slammed his dagger into the table, the celestial bronze gleaming dangerously.

"I don't suppose you have a permit for that," Yagi gulped, eyes darting towards the exits.

"This is the closest thing I have to proof," Izuku explained, his voice had dropped into a whisper. "Celestial bronze is said to not work against mortals. You can prove both of us correct. If the blade does you no harm, then I know that your quirk is a gift and you know that I'm telling the truth."

Yagi was taken aback and leaned away from the blade. He looked ready to run. Izuku refused to drop his gaze. This was the only thing he had that could even vaguely resemble evidence.

Yagi slowly reached out and yanked the blade from the table. He held it in his hands and stared at the sharp edge. Slowly he pressed his thumb down onto the point. The blade simply passed through and the tip of Yagi's thumb was phasing through it.

Izuku sighed. He didn't really know how the quirk transfer worked. If it imbued the person with godly DNA then the blade might have worked. It must be more metaphysical than that.

"This is impossible," Yagi murmured as he stared at the blade and began swiping at his hand with it. Every time the blade simply passed through without any noticeable change to his hand.

Izuku extended his hand and after a moment’s hesitation Yagi handed the dagger back to Izuku. Izuku maintained his eye contact with Yagi as he pressed the tip of his thumb to the daggers point. He had hardly touched it when the blade drew his blood. Yagi reached forward and snatched the dagger from his hands.

"Okay," Yagi relented. "You've proven your point."

Izuku ignored the most likely unintentional pun and sucked the blood from his thumb. "Of course," Izuku told him, "few people will believe you if you try to tell them. The information is harmless to you though. Monsters aren't terribly interested in mortals even if they know the truth."

Yagi set Izuku's dagger onto the table and leaned forward onto his elbows. "So then you're descended from a god?" Yagi asked him.

Izuku flinched a little. He may be used to it but he didn't love talking about his father. "My father is Apollo, Greek god of the sun, music, and prophecy." He picked the dagger up and slipped it back into his boot.

"I thought you said people weren't half god?" Yagi asked with a pinched brow.

"Most aren't," Izuku assured him. "Those of us that are tend to lead a hard life. Our quirks tend to be stronger and more dangerous. I assume most of the top ten are demigods. A lot of heroes are. We do our best to take care of each other."

"Kamui," Yagi realized aloud.

"Yes," Izuku nodded. "Though I didn't know until today."

"What was it he handed you?" Yagi asked leaning even further over the table in his curiosity.

Izuku chuckled. "He was just returning my knife," he said.

"And that boy who you saved?" Yagi asked. "Is he a halfgod too?"

"Kacchan?" Izuku asked though Yagi had not learned his name. "No. But I've been trying to figure out his lineage forever." Izuku pulled out his notebook and flipped to a page near the front. An image of Kacchan filled the upper left-hand corner and the pages were filled with text. "I'd guess he's related to Nike given him and his mother's attitudes, but her quirk fits better with Hebe. Given his and his father's quirks though he's probably got some Hephaestus in him."

Yagi squeezed Izuku's shoulder and ripped him out of his murmuring. "Sorry," Izuku apologized. "Bad habit."

"It's alright," Yagi assured him. "Though I'm sure I will have many questions to come, you never answered my first one."

"Which one was that?" Izuku asked. Yagi straightened up and looked at him very seriously.

"Will you inherit my power and be my successor," Yagi asked again.

Now that he really processed the off Izuku sat there dumbfounded. First at the very idea that he was being offered such a gift. Then that it was a gift that could be given in the first place. He thought of having the strength to go toe to toe with any monster and come out unscathed. It was intoxicating. But he also thought of the responsibility that it would entail.

"No," he told Yagi, shaking his head. The hero seemed to deflate. "Let me explain why though." Izuku said quickly. "Yagi you told me that when you were younger all you wanted to prove to the world that your strength could protect them. You've done that. I want to save those who are in danger, but I also want to live my life."

"I'm strong enough to stand against the monsters," Izuku said. "I prove that each and every day that I'm still living. You aren't looking for a part time hero to be your successor."

"You're right," Yagi sighed. "It's a shame though. You are a wonderful young man and I'm quite sure you would have done great things with my power. But I suppose the search continues."

"About that," Izuku hesitantly said. He was biting at his thumb and wondering if he should say what was on his mind. The quizzical look from Yagi told him he should continue so with a deep sigh he did. "I may know someone. Just like you they want to prove that they have the strength to save the world and I've never met anyone willing to put more of themselves into their work."

Yagi looked him over and thought for a moment. "I have others looking as well," Yagi told him.

"And I'm sure that they're all very capable," Izuku nodded. "But if you were sure about trusting me with your power, then please, just meet him."

"Okay," Yagi relented.

***

Toshi sat on one of the last patches of sand at Dagobah Beach next to Midoriya. At this point it was late and the moon reflected off of the water. The boy they were waiting for should be there any minute, but he was almost more focused on the sad site around him. To see the once beautiful place made into little more than a dump was disheartening.

Toshi was pulled from his thoughts as Midoriya gently elbowed him in the ribs. He nodded towards a figure approaching through the trash. The two of them stood and made their way to meet the other boy.

"This better be important Deku," the boy grumbled.

Midoriya put his hands on his hips. "Are you ever gonna let that go?" Midoriya groaned.

"You misread your own name," the boy said with a grin.

"I was six," Midoriya reminded him with a roll of the eyes and a tone that suggested he didn't find the name as humorous as his friend.

Toshi cleared his throat and the boy turned his attention to him. They took each other in for a moment. Toshi saw a blond teen with red eyes slouching in front of him. He was taller than Midoriya but the two looked to be the same age. This was the 'Kacchan' Midoriya had been telling him about.

"Um," Midoriya broke the silence. "Kacchan this is-"

"Yagi Toshinori," Toshi introduced himself with a small bow. "And you must be Kacchan."

"Tch, don't go introducing me to people by that childish nickname Deku," 'Kacchan' griped. Midoriya just bashfully scratched the back of his head, not looking all that apologetic. "My name's Bakugo Katsuki. Now what do you want?"

Toshi looked at Midoriya and raised an eyebrow. Really? This was the boy he thought was worthy of One for All? When Midoriya nodded Toshi sighed and turned back to the Bakugo boy.

"Your friend speaks highly of you," Toshi began. "He says you want to be a hero."  
  


"Wants got nothing to do with it," Bakugo snapped at him. "I'm gonna be the number one hero and no one can stop me."

"And why do you want to be a hero?" Toshi pushed him. He trusted Midoriya, as Midoriya had trusted him, but he still needed to know this boy himself.

"Cause I'm gonna prove I'm the best," Bakugo proudly declared.

"That doesn't answer the question," Toshi pointed out.

"Huh?" Bakugo questioned. He looked taken aback so with a sigh Toshi explained.

"You could be the best at anything," Toshi explained. "You didn't have to set your sights on heroics. You could have been an athlete or an artist. So why be a hero?"

"What kind of bullshit question is that?" Bakugo asked indignantly. "The number one hero is someone who everyone knows they can depend on. Whose strength is enough to take on any enemy, any disaster." Bakugo held his chin high and pointed his thumb at his chest. "That's who I'm gonna be. Someone everyone can depend on."

Toshi felt the smile on his face. Looks like Midoriya read the boy right at least. He may be a little crass, but at least his hearts in the right place.

"It's a very noble choice," Toshi chuckled.

"What did you expect?" Bakugo proudly asked.

"I'm not quite sure," Toshi murmured to himself. "I'm looking for someone to help me out with a project of mine. They need to be strong, noble, and willing to put the public before themselves. Interested?"  
  


"What's the project?" Bakugo questioned suspiciously. He was eyeing Toshi again, looking for the catch.

"You're standing in it." Toshi smiled.

Bakugo looked around at the piles of garbage around him. "What, planning to set up a dump?"  
  


"More like getting rid of one," Toshi chuckled.

"Why?" Bakugo wondered.

"Think of it as heroic duty to the community," Toshi explained.

Bakugo thought on that for a moment. He looked around, at the mountains of trash the stretched for as far as the eye could see. "Anything in it for me?"

"Pride in a job well done," Toshi offered. "I understand if it's not something you're interested in. After all-"

"When do we start?" Bakugo interrupted.

Toshi looked at him in shock. His eyes flashed to Midoriya who stood there with a smirk on his face. The boy was surprising him at every turn it seemed.

"Tomorrow," Toshi told him.

Bakugo nodded and turned to walk away. "Come on Deku," he called. "Auntie'll kill you if you stay out any later."

"Oh crap!" Midoriya scrambled forward and the two boys walked off into the night joking and laughing with each other.

Toshi smiled after them. He'd see just how far Bakugo was willing to go. He just might make a good successor yet.


	8. Izuku's got a gig

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku gets an unexpected gig. Music, monsters, and mayhem, oh my.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I know that this fic wasn't what people were expecting to see updated and honestly it wasn't what I was expecting to update. I met someone recently who's a big fan of this fic and just knowing that there was someone dying for an update really made it a lot easier to write. I hope you guys enjoy!

Izuku relaxed on the beach and watched as Kacchan picked up yet another old microwave.

“You could help you asshat,” Kacchan spat at him.

“Nah,” Izuku chuckled. “I remember what you told me. ‘I don’t need your damn help,’ you said. So you’re not going to get it.”

Kacchan scoffed at him as he waddled off with the broken machine. Honestly Izuku was there rarely enough that it wouldn’t have made much difference. He had continued training with Present Mic while Kacchan had transitioned to working on the beach. Kacchan had actually been making pretty good progress on the trash. It had only been four months and already about half of the trash was gone. Yagi thought he might even finish before the ten-month deadline.

“What in the world are you two doing at a dump?” a familiar voice laughed from behind him.

Izuku turned around and found Hizashi standing on the steps that led down to the sand.

“What are you doing here you cockatiel?” Kacchan barked as he threw the microwave into the dumpster Yagi had set up for the trash.

“I stopped by Izuku’s place and his mom told me this is where you guys were at,” Hizashi answered. “But you never answered my question. What are you doing in a dump?”

“Cleaning,” Kacchan grunted. He turned and got back to work.

Hizashi just shook his head and walked over to Izuku.

“And you?” he asked as he looked down at the green haired boy. “What are you doing?”

“Watching,” Izuku shrugged.

Hizashi chuckled. “Well how long do you plan to sit here?” he teased. “Cause I may have something for you to do this evening.”

Izuku perked up instantly. “A gig?” Izuku asked hopefully.

“That’s right,” Hizashi nodded with a big teasing grin. “You feeling up for it?”

“Yes!” Izuku answered immediately.

“Good,” Hizashi laughed. “You’re opening for my brother and his band, so you better bring you’re a game.”

“Your brother?” Izuku gasped. “I didn’t know you had a brother.”

“That’s how it goes,” Hizashi shrugged. “I probably have lots of brothers. Sisters too. Only know about the one though.”

“Who is it?” Izuku asked. He tried not to scowl. A demigod musician. Must be nice.

“Jiro Kyotoku,” Hizashi said casually.

“Shut up!” Izuku exclaimed as he scrambled to his feet. Only of his previous negative emotions were wiped away at the thought of getting to actually open for _the _Deep Dope. Hizashi just laughed at him as Izuku stared down at him in disbelief. “No way. You’re serious? Your brother is the lead singer for Deep Dope?”

“That’s right,” Hizashi nodded. “Should I let him know you’ll do it then?”

“Yes!” Izuku screamed. He started pacing in the sand. “Oh god. I have to go get ready. I need an outfit. And to pack up my guitar. Or maybe I should do the keyboard? No. Deep Dope is a rock band, I should take my guitar. Should I do my hair? Oh crap and I’ve been here all day, I probably reek of garbage.”

Izuku spun on his heel and faced Hizashi again. “Tell Kacchan I went home for me,” he quickly instructed. Then, like a bullet, he took off towards his apartment.

“I’ll send you the details!” Hizashi shouted after him. Izuku didn’t have time to worry about it.

***

Kyoka really couldn’t care less about this opening act that her dad had arranged. She’d heard about Midori before, but she didn’t know that much about him. He’d had a few singles featured on Uncle Mic’s radio show, but he’d always refused interviews. He’d show up for gigs with no warning and then disappear without waiting around to chat with his fans. Kyoka thought he seemed like kind of a dick actually.

“So what are ya thinking about?” her dad asked as he sat down on the couch next to her. They were in the greenroom backstage while the crew was setting up. It looked like any number of greenrooms she’d been in with its plane walls and cheap furniture.

“Nothing,” Kyoka shrugged.

“So you’re wondering about Midori then?” her dad teased with a big shit eating grin.

“Dad!” Kyoka griped.

“What?” he laughed as he hid his smirk by taking a sip out of his water bottle.

“He’s probably just some smug asshole anyways,” Kyoka grumbled as she wedged herself further into the couch. God she wished it was at least a little comfier. It felt like the springs were older than she was.

“Nah,” Kyotoku shook his head. “It’s nothing like that.”

“What do you mean?” Kyoka asked. She could feel her brow furrow as she sat back up. Her full attention was back on their conversation. Did her dad know Midori?

“He’s a lot like me, ya know?” her dad chuckled as if it explained everything.

“No he’s not,” Kyoka scoffed. “You always make time for your fans. Hell, you have a two hour meet and greet scheduled after the show.”

“Well I said he was _like _me,” Kyotoku shrugged. “Sometimes it’s better to keep a little distance, even if not everyone understands why.”

“What does that even mean?” Kyoka huffed.

Her dad gave her a sad sort of smile. It wasn’t a look she’d ever really seen on his face before. It caused a cold knot to form in her stomach. “Just try not to judge him too harshly, okay?” he asked. The way he said it, the sadness that seemed to drip in his voice, Kyoka was stunned silent.

She nodded back at him.

“Thanks kiddo,” he smiled a little wider. “You wanna go watch? I think he’s gonna head up on stage soon.”

“I’ve got homework I need to finish,” Kyoka told him with a wave of her hand to the open books on the table in front of her.

“Always working hard,” her dad laughed. He elbowed her playfully in the ribs. “Don’t work too hard alright. You’re still a kid. Gotta enjoy it while you can.”

“Thanks dad,” Kyoka roller her eyes. “I just have a lot more I need to learn if I’m gonna pass the UA entrance exam.”

“Alright,” Kyotoku relented with a smile. He put his hands on his knees and grunted as he got up. Kyoka just rolled her eyes at him.

Her dad and the band headed out to go stand backstage and watch Midori’s set. Kyoka was alone in the green room and it gave her the chance to actually make some progress on understanding what ever the hell a differential equation was.

When the music started up Kyoka was a little surprised at how mellow it sounded. Normally an opener focused on hyping the crowd and the slow melodic music didn’t seem conducive to that. The instant roar of the crowd kinda proved her wrong, but it was still surprising.

Kyoka just shrugged and got back to work. The greenroom was soundproof enough that she could only hear the faintest sound of Midori’s set and it actually proved a nice background noise for her as she kept working.

After about a half hour Kyoka heard the crowd roar louder than ever. Must be her dad and the rest of Deep Dope actually heading out on stage. She figured she might as well take a break and go catch a few songs. Putting down her book she grabbed a water and headed out the door.

As the door shut behind her she heard a familiar voice ring out.

“If it isn’t my favorite niece,” Uncle Hizashi called.

Kyoka turned and found her uncle standing in the dark passageway in casual clothes. His outfit still had a leather jacket and he was wearing black jeans, but with his hair down it was hard to recognize him as the hero he really was.

“Hey hey,” Kyoka laughed.

The two of them met for a quick hug. It had been awhile since she’d seen Uncle Hizashi, but he was family.

“I didn’t know Kyotoku was bringing you,” Uncle Hizashi told her with a smile. “It’s a pretty nice surprise.”

“Yeah, he didn’t mention you were gonna be here either,” Kyoka shrugged.

“That jerk,” Uncle Hizashi shook his head with a laugh. “Oh by the way, have you seen Midori around?”

“Zashi!” someone screamed from down the hallway. “Duck!”

Uncle Hizashi instantly reacted, tackling Kyoka and shielding her with his body. A squelch sounded above them followed by a solid thud. Uncle Hizashi didn’t get off of her until he checked the area though. When he did he offered Kyoka a hand to pull her up with him.

“You guys okay?” a guy with green hair asked as he jogged up. He was wearing dark jeans and a green shirt. The shirt literally just had the Kanji for green, Midori, across the chest. Was he _actually _Midori?

“I’m fine,” Uncle Hizashi assured the boy. He turned and gave Kyoka a concerned look. “You okay?”

Kyoka gave a slightly stunned nod. What on earth was that all about?

The maybe Midori stepped past her uncle and up to the door of the greenroom. Kyoka was about to call him out and say he couldn’t go in there when she noticed the thing on the door. It looked like a giant ball of flesh with bat wings. He just walked up and ripped a bronze dagger out of it. Rather than falling to the floor though, the ball of flesh just dissipated into dust.

“Cacophony demons,” Midori groaned. “Why is it always cacophony demons?

“How many were there?” Uncle Hizashi asked, he was in full hero mode and super serious. It wasn’t a side of him Kyoka had gotten to see before. She’d known he was a hero, but seeing it really shook her perception of the fun-loving Uncle she had always known.

“About a dozen,” Midori answered. He was just as serious. Was Midori a hero? He didn’t look any older than her, but she really didn’t know if that was true or not.

“Did you get them all?” Uncle Hizashi questioned.

“Wait,” Kyoka interrupted with a shake of her head. She just managed to process what she was hearing. “What the hell do you mean demon?”

Uncle Hizashi’s head whipped around to her in a panic. From the look he was giving her he had not thought about her being there. Midori on the other hand gave her only an incredulously raised eyebrow. Kyoka didn’t back down though. She glared at both of them and tried to make clear that she expected an answer.

"That’s complicated,” Midori shrugged.

“That’s bullshit,” Kyoka huffed.

“Kyoka,” Uncle Mic tried to assuage her. Before he could keep talking a horrible squawk rang through the hallway.

All three of them turned to find another of the strange demon flesh balls flapping around the head of a bird headed dude as he ran down the hall. Midori didn’t hesitate. With a flash of bronze, he launched the dagger like he was throwing a fastball. Kyoka couldn’t follow the dagger through the air, but she turned her head in time to see the demon ball get knocked out of the air and flung back down the hallway.

The guy stopped with her hands on his knees as he panted for breath and Kyoka got a good look at him. His head was that of a black bird, like a raven or a crow. It was complete with a beak and everything. He was wearing a black long sleeve shirt and black jeans. The only splash of color was the red choker he wore around his neck.

“Thanks,” the dude managed to get out.

“Sorry about that,” Midori shook his head. “I thought I got them all.”

“Cacophony demons can be like that,” the guy shook his head.

Kyoka was a little shocked to hear him call the thing by the same name that Midori had.

“You’re a Tokoyami,” Uncle Hizashi commented. She had no idea what it meant.

“Yes,” the boy nodded as he stood up straight. He was barely taller than her and a good bit shorter than both Midori and Uncle Hizashi. “I’ve come with a message.”

“Wait so it’s true?” Midori asked incredulously.

“If by ‘it’,” the boy responded shortly, putting the word it into finger quotes, “you are referring to the fact that my family has served as messengers of the gods for the last couple hundred years, then yes. It’s true.”

“Gods?” Kyoka repeated. She felt like she was in a daze. First demons, now gods? Had she gone insane?

“Shit,” Uncle Hizashi cursed. “Kyoka why don’t you return to the greenroom. I’ll come explain everything in a minute.”

“No,” Kyoka scoffed. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

“It’s fine,” the bird headed boy said with a wave of his hand. “The message isn’t all that detailed.”

“What is it?” Midori asked. “Wait, who’s it even for?”

“It is a message from the sun god to their son,” the boy answered. “They say you must find the child of time and rescue them.”

“What that’s it?” Uncle Hizashi wondered. “That’s all he said?”

“Well no,” the boy shook his head. “They waxed on poetically for ten minutes. It was truly a horrendous display of madness.”

“Did he say anything that might help us find this person?” Midori asked.

“He said you have to go with the ‘daughter of music’ to the ‘land of the lost’,” the boy sighed.

“No,” Uncle Hizashi instantly cut in. “Just, just no!”

“Zashi?” Midori turned to her uncle with a tilt of his head. Zashi? Jesus how well did these two know each other?

“Children aren’t supposed to be sent on quests anymore,” Uncle Hizashi demanded. He was still facing the bird headed boy. “There are plenty of heroes who could do this legally. I won’t just let you come and send Izuku off on an illegal and most likely deadly mission.”

“You know that’s not how it works,” Midori, or maybe his name was Izuku, sighed. “I’m eighteen so technically I’m not a child anymore.”

“It’s still illegal,” Uncle Hizashi insisted.

“I don’t think they care,” Midori shrugged.

Uncle Hizashi gave Midori a pained look. It was clear that he was less than satisfied with that answer. Midori looked back at her uncle with a serious expression. He looked like he was displeased as well, but there was no doubt on his face.

“You need a third,” Uncle Hizashi finally relented.

“So then you know who he meant by daughter of music?” a bird headed shadow asked as it suddenly poked its way out from beneath the bird headed boy’s shirt.

“Damn you Dark Shadow,” the boy cursed. “I told you to stay quiet.”

The shadow turned back and tilted his head at the boy. “Don’t act like you didn’t want to know Fumi,” it said as it put its arms on its hips. Kyoka couldn’t help but stare at the strange apparition. It was like it was made out of pure darkness.

“Yes, I know who he meant,” Uncle Hizashi nodded grimly. “I’m not thrilled to be sending her with you, but if you aren’t going to listen to reason then we have to follow the prophecy.”

“But you said you didn’t know of any sisters,” Midori muttered with a shake of his head.

“I don’t,” Uncle Hizashi confirmed. He turned to Kyoka.

“What?” Kyoka asked him.

Midori and the bird boy turned to her as well.

“Kyoka,” Uncle Hizashi addressed her. “I don’t know if I’m the one to explain all this. I think it would be better to wait for your dad.”

“Alright,” Kyoka nodded. “But I expect an explanation of whatever the hell is going on.”

“We’ll be leaving now,” the bird headed boy told them.

“Already?” Midori asked. “You sure you don’t have anything else you can tell us?”

“Nothing useful,” the boy muttered. “Good luck.”

With that the bird headed boy turned and left. Kyoka scowled after him. What a strange guy. Midori turned back and when he saw Kyoka’s expression he gave her a shrug.

“You stop questioning it eventually,” he offered as though this was a perfectly normal thing for him.

“No,” Uncle Hizashi huffed. “No, you don’t.”

***

“Dammit,” Mr. Jiro cursed under his breath. Izuku had sat silently and let Hizashi explain everything. “You’re sure?”

“It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Hizashi nodded. “Unless you know of anyone who’s a better fit?”

“You know I don’t,” Mr. Jiro sighed.

“So are you gonna tell _me_ what’s going on?” Jiro huffed. Izuku couldn’t blame her. Zashi and Mr. Jiro were speaking like she wasn’t even there.

“Sorry Kyoka,” Mr. Jiro bowed his head. “I just, I never wanted you to have to worry about this.”

“Worry about what?” Jiro pushed.

“Gods I don’t even know where to start,” Mr. Jiro groaned.

“Start with mom,” Hizashi offered. His voice was tight with constrained emotion.

“Right,” Mr. Jiro nodded. “So our mom,” he motioned between himself and Hizashi, “she’s a god.”

“Jesus Christ Kyotoku,” Hizashi sighed in exasperation as he facepalmed.

“What?” Jiro laughed.

“It’s true,” Mr. Jiro nodded. “The gods are real, they have kids, your grandmother is the goddess of music.”

Jiro stared between her dad and Hizashi. Both of the had the type of utterly serious expressions that Izuku knew was on his face. Any humor in the idea had gone out the window years ago. So when Jiro turned to him, the scowl on her face seemed justified.

“And what about you Midori?” she asked. “You another godly uncle?”

“No,” Izuku shook his head. “But I am a demigod.”

“A demigod,” Jiro repeated with a shake of her head. “You realize how insane this all sounds.”

“Of course we do,” Mr. Jiro assured her. “But it’s the truth. And now that you know about your heritage, you’re going to be a target.”

“A target for what?” Jiro asked. “Demons?”

“Among other things,” Mr. Jiro nodded grimly. “Monsters of all sorts.”

Jiro looked at Hizashi and Izuku again. Unfortunately, he knew the grim expressions they wore weren’t the most encouraging thing.

“UA is still safe,” Mr. Jiro told her. “You can still be a hero, maybe even a better one now that you know.”

“R-right,” Jiro stammered.

“That assumes we make it through the quest,” Izuku muttered.

“Izuku,” Hizashi scolded him harshly.

“Fine,” Izuku relented with his hands raised defensively. “But you need to remember to explain that too.”

“Quest?” Jiro asked.

“The gods sometimes call on their children to go on missions for them,” Hizashi explained. “Since the founding of the hero commission they normally call on a hero since they can go about things out in the open. Unfortunately, the two of you will have to act in secret.”

“Wait what?” Jiro exclaimed.

“I’ve been summoned,” Izuku said dramatically.

Hizashi smacked him upside the head. “This is serious,” he scolded Izuku.

“It’s always serious,” Izuku huffed.

“Kyoka,” Mr. Jiro took back over. “We think the gods have marked you for this quest as well.”

“Me?” Jiro asked in disbelief.

“The daughter of music,” Hizashi repeated the Tokoyami messenger. “We don’t know of anyone who fits that better than you.”

“Is that safe?” Jiro questioned.

“No,” Izuku answered immediately. Hizashi gave him a rather stern look. “Would you rather I lie to her?”

“It won’t be that bad,” Hizashi argued, though whether he was trying to convince Izuku or himself was unclear. “You still need a third.”

“A what?” Jiro butted back in.

“Quests are normally done by teams of three,” Hizashi explained. “The gods gave the quest to Izuku and declared you were to be going as well. That means a third person can still go. I intend for it to be me.”

“The gods told us the third too,” Izuku sighed.

“No they didn’t,” Hizashi insisted with a shake of his head. “You and the daughter of music. That’s what all the Tokoyami boy said.”

“The child of time,” Izuku said. “Three people go on quests so that three people come back.”

“I’m not letting you go out on this quest alone,” Hizashi told him.

“I’m not letting you kill yourself for some stupid quest,” Izuku shot back.

“Oh but I’m just supposed to let you?” Hizashi shouted at him. At this point they were both standing.

“I can take care of myself,” Izuku argued. “You made sure of that.”

“Don’t you put this on me,” Hizashi admonished him. “I still don’t want you to go at all.”

“Well unless you know of any other sons of the sun then we don’t have a choice,” Izuku huffed.

“I know dammit,” Hizashi cursed. “That’s why I want to come with you.”

“Three people come back,” Izuku reiterated. “Maybe this child of time doesn’t count, but if she does? Who are you willing to lose?”

“Myself,” Hizashi told him instantly. “Especially if it meant I could keep you safe. Keep Kyoka safe.”

“Hizashi,” Mr. Jiro cut them off. He didn’t sound angry, just tired. Turning to him, Izuku could see the exhaustion plain on his face. “Look I’m with you, but it’s late and we’ve all had a very long day. Staying here and arguing about it isn’t going to get us anywhere.”

“You’re right,” Hizashi nodded with a heavy sigh. He fixed Izuku with a pointed look. “We’ll talk more on this tomorrow.”

“Fine,” Izuku huffed.

“Come on Kyotoku,” Hizashi turned back to his brother. “Let me escort you guys home.”

“Don’t trust me to handle a couple monsters anymore?” Mr. Jiro joked lightly as he stood up. Jiro stood with him.

“Remind me what happened last time with the cyclopes?” Hizashi asked teasingly.

“Ya got me there,” Mr. Jiro laughed. Izuku was still tense so it felt strange to see something so lighthearted. Mr. Jiro turned to Izuku and offered his hand. “It was nice to meet you Midori.”

“You too Mr. Jiro,” Izuku said with a small bow as he stood. As he straightened out of his bow, he shook Mr. Jiro’s hand.

“You should call me Kyotoku kid,” Mr. Jiro laughed. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See ya,” Jiro huffed with a two fingered salute.

With that the three of them left the greenroom. Izuku waited a moment to see if anyone was going to come back. After he was sure he was alone he looked at his hand and the slip of paper that Kyotoku had slipped into it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you guys thought down below! Seriously guys reading the comments is the most motivating and heartwarming thing and I really do appreciate every single one! 
> 
> I don't know what the next update will be (though I'm guessing it'll be either Sunspot or Dragon Rider) but I hope you all stay tuned and enjoy!


	9. Midori

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyoka didn't think this was how her day was gonna go. I mean come on, Midori was a rock star. So why the fuck was he so weird???

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I promised to get a chapter out before school started. School started on Monday, but I'm gonna count this as a success. I hope you guys like the chapter. Sorry for the long delays, finding the time to write has been a real challenge, but it means I got to edit a lot of this chapter several times. Hope you like it!

Kyoka blearily sat up in her bed. She rubbed at her eyes as she tried to look around the dark room. Nothing was out of place. The pile of clothes strewn about the room was still there. The door was still closed. The computer atop her desk was off. So what had woken her up?

A tap at the window caused her head to whip around. She stared out and into the night, but all she could see was darkness. A blur of motion and another tap and she got out of bed. She walked over and opened the second story window.

When she stuck her head out, she saw a figure standing out in her yard. It was too dark to really see who it was. They raised a hand towards their face, but she couldn’t see what they did and then they motioned her to come out.

Kyoka stared at them dumbfounded. Who the fuck was it? Why were they here? Should she go see what they want? What if it was a villain? Okay it probably wasn’t a villain, but you never know anymore. Maybe she should get her dad.

Before she could really decide anything, whoever it was grew impatient. Kyoka was dragged out of her thoughts when their face suddenly popped up in front of hers. She stifled a scream at the suddenness. Clutching onto the windowsill and staring at her was Midori, his familiar green eyes almost seemed to glow in the darkness.

“We need to go,” whispered Midori so softly that a normal person would barely be able to hear it. With how close he was though it was practically like he’d whispered it into Kyoka’s ear. His voice was calm and sure even in a whisper.

“Go where?” Kyoka asked half angrily half curiously. She matched his volume perfectly, it should be soft enough not to wake up her mom.

“To the land of the lost, whatever the fuck that means,” Midori answered with a sarcastic roll of his eyes.

“Wait what?” Kyoka whispered as she shook her head. The wording reminded her of exactly what he meant. “I thought Uncle Hizashi was going to come with us. Or that you were at least gonna talk about it. For that matter how did you even get here? How did you know where I live?”

“No time,” Midori told her. He looked over his shoulder as though he was expecting something to be there. Kyoka looked past him too, but all she saw was the now empty streey. “We need to get moving. Get dressed and meet me out front.”

Without waiting for a reply Midori let go of the windowsill and fell back down to the ground. He didn’t look bothered by the fall at all. Once he was down there he just walked out of the yard and to the street where he waited. He was impatiently tapping his foot and his head whipped around constantly. Kyoka thought he seemed paranoid. Just the kind of person you want to go on a mysterious mission with.

After staring after him for a long minute Kyoka shook her head and turned away from her window. She hurried up and changed out of the shorts she was wearing and threw on a pair of jeans. Add a pair of black combat boots and she was set.

She had snuck out of the house enough times to know where the squeaky floorboards were. It wasn’t enough to just be quiet when your mother had super hearing. She had to move silently. She made it outside without a sound and over to where Midori was waiting for her. He motioned her to follow and led her down the street without a word. They came to an old beat-up blue station wagon. Midori pulled out the key fob and unlocked it.

“This is your ride?” Kyoka asked in disbelief. “Aren’t you like a Rockstar?”

“It’s my mom’s,” Midori shrugged.

The two of them got in and Midori started to drive. Kyoka was surprised at how clean the inside of the car was. There wasn’t even a single old coffee cup on the floorboards. For how beat up it was, the car was clearly taken care of. They made it around the corner and onto the main street in silence.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on or is this turning into a kidnapping?” Kyoka huffed.

“We’re off on a quest,” Midori told her with a shrug. “It’s exactly like we explained to you yesterday.”

“_Yesterday_ Uncle Hizashi, you know the pro hero Present Mic, said he wanted to come with us,” Kyoka reminded him.

“Look four is a bad number,” Midori explained without taking his eyes off the road. “Always has been. You don’t go on a quest with four people. That’s how people die.”

“So we’re turning down the help of a pro hero because you’re superstitious?” Kyoka clarified.

“Not just me,” Midori said. “Your dad too.”

He grabbed a slip of paper from the change compartment and held it up for her. Kyoka took it. On the paper was the address of her house and the note ‘top left’. It was written in her dad’s godawful handwriting.

“My dad gave this to you?” Kyoka still asked in disbelief.

“Zashi wasn’t going to let this go,” Midori sighed. “He would have insisted he come along or that we not go.”

The way Midori said his name sent a shiver down Kyoka’s spine. It wasn’t just the nickname or the familiarity. It felt like it was almost intimate. Kyoka couldn’t help but wonder exactly how they knew each other, but then something occurred to her.

“You’re protecting him,” Kyoka realized out loud.

“Yes,” Midori nodded seriously.

Kyoka stared at him. This scrawny looking teen, because come on he had to be like seventeen, was going out of his way to protect her pro hero uncle? It didn’t make any logical sense. Even if he was supposedly half god or whatever. So then why did her dad help him do it?

They drove on in silence for a time as Kyoka did her best to process that.

“So you said you’re a half god too?” Kyoka asked him. At this point any info on the guy would be helpful.

“Yeah,” he nodded as he merged onto the highway. “Son of the sun and all that jazz.”

“So your mom is Amaterasu,” Kyoka concluded.

“Nah,” Midori shook his head. “My mom’s a lawyer over in Musutafu.”

“What but then-”

“Look it’s not that simple,” Midori cut her off. He didn’t sound upset. Exhausted maybe, but not angry. “Gods don’t really care about things like gender. They have kids with whoever and whatever they want.”

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Kyoka huffed.

“Guess it doesn’t have to,” Midori shrugged. “That’s the way it is. All we can do is accept it.”

“What, like faith?” Kyoka scoffed.

“No,” Midori said with a laugh. “Olympus knows I never really had any faith in the gods. It’s just not really worth trying to figure out a why anymore.”

“Olympus?” Kyoka repeated.

Midori turned his head towards her. “Later,” he told her. “We’re here.”

Kyoka’s head whipped around. They were parked at some random truck stop. The parking lot was empty, but the pumps had a few cars at them. The earliest light of morning was beginning to brighten up the sky. While she took all of this in Midori was sitting there looking at her.

“Here,” he said as Kyoka turned back to him. He was holding out a bronze knife, a lot like the one he had thrown around last night. “Take this.”

“Why?” Kyoka asked as she eyed the gleaming blade.

“Protection,” Midori answered.

“I can protect myself thanks,” Kyoka told him as she raised her ear jacks and pointed them at his face.

“Alright,” Midori nodded unbothered by her display. He put the knife back in his boot and got out of the car.

Kyoka scrambled out to follow after him. The two of them headed into the truck stop. It was pretty standard, what with the rows of junk food and auto supplies. The smell of the pizza in the warmers was thick in the air. At the back there was a set up like a living room. It had a couple recliners and a TV that was playing some old movie.

Midori went straight to the back and the recliners. Kyoka was only a step or two behind him as they walked. She would have preferred to keep a bit more distance, but the whole situation was just too weird. She felt better close to Midori, his confidence made it seem less like a fever dream. Midori walked up to a large man who was asleep in one of the seats. Actually, he was the only one back here. Midori kicked the man’s bare foot with his boot.

“Wake up Ishin,” Midori said loudly. The man didn’t so much as stir. Midori waited a moment before he growled under his breath. “Do I need to get a bucket of water?”

“Alright ya bastard,” the guy grumbled in a gravelly voice as one of his eyes opened. The shocking electric blue color of his iris shone through the greasy grey hair that hung down over his face. “I’m trying to catch up on my sleep here ya know.”

“I need directions,” Midori told him. Kyoka stared at Midori in surprise. _That’s _what they were doing here?

“Oh there’s a surprise,” Ishin huffed in a laugh with a roll of his eye.

“If you don’t want people coming to you for directions then you shouldn’t be the man who knows where to find things,” Midori shrugged.

“Fine,” Ishin grunted. “What do you need to find?”

“The land of the lost,” Midori answered.

“Oh, what’s this?” Ishin laughed as he sat up straight. He leaned forward, but he kept only the one eye open. Kyoka took an instinctive step back. This guy was a lot taller than she’d thought. He must have been close to seven feet tall. Combined with the horrid breath that washed over them as he sat up it was just too much. “Did little Midoriya finally get thrown a quest?”

“Do you know where it is or not?” Midori asked, ignoring Ishin’s question.

“Nope,” Ishin shrugged with a smirk. His smile was full of cracked yellow teeth. Kyoka felt like her head was spinning. “Never heard of it.”

“I can pay for the info,” Midori told him unfazed.

“While I appreciate that,” Ishin grinned even wider. He showed off more teeth than Kyoka would have thought possible. “It won’t help. I ain’t never heard of no land of the lost. It ain’t anything on this side of things.”

Midori scowled. Kyoka thought he might have been chewing on his cheek, but it was hard to be sure. He turned on his heel and began making his way towards the door without another word. Kyoka took one look at Ishin, who was watching Midori walk away with that same smug grin, and then hurried after Midori.

“Fuck,” Midori cursed as he slammed the door to the truck stop open.

“What?” Kyoka asked as she rushed to the car. They both got in quickly.

“If Ishin doesn’t know where this land of the lost thing is then it means we’re looking for something more human than I thought,” Midori told her as he cranked the car. The engine instantly came to life. He violently pulled out from the parking spot.

“So?” Kyoka asked as she made sure her seat belt was on.

“So, I don’t have much of a plan anymore besides finding back alley thugs to beat the information out of and that’s not really something I want to do,” he huffed.

“Jesus Christ, _really_?” Kyoka demanded. Midori gave her a look that told her that he wasn’t kidding. What the hell was wrong with this guy? “Fine,” she sighed angrily. “Get on the highway. Southbound.”

“What? Why?” Midori questioned.

“I’m sorry did you need a source of information or not?” Kyoka retorted shortly. 

Midori gave her another look, but Kyoka wasn’t backing down. She matched him in his staring until, with a sigh of his own, he headed for the highway.

Kyoka gave him directions and they drove in relative silence for a while. Kyoka couldn’t help but look at him as the sunrise finally crested the horizon and she could finally see clearly. He was wearing jeans and a black shirt, nothing out of the oridinary there. His arms weren’t quite as skinny as she thought, but he was a long way from being a body builder. What really surprised her though were the scars. They went all down his arms in all shapes and sizes and colors. Kyoka felt the anticipation settle into her stomach as a weight.

“You get used to it,” Midori grunted.

Kyoka nearly jumped out of her skin at his voice. She shot a quick look at his face, but he was scowling at the road now. She couldn’t help but notice how white his knuckles had turned from gripping the steering wheel.

It wasn’t the first time Kyoka had heard him say that to her. It seemed a lot heavier this time. Uncle Mic’s response played in her ears, sounding a lot more defeated.

“No,” he had said. “No, you don’t.”

***

Izuku watched Jiro knock on the door to the crappy apartment. Honestly it felt like they’d stepped into a bad movie. This was the part where they were going to ask for information and then be double crossed and have to fight their way out.

The door opened and a big dude in black sweatpants and a grubby band tee stood there rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Izuku rolled his eyes. At this point it was nearly ten in the morning. The guy was pretty plane. He had black hair and brown eyes and besides his size, not a single remarkable feature.

“Jiro?” the dude yawned.

“What’s up Maru?” Jiro greeted him with a smile and a half wave.

Maru looked Jiro up and down and then looked over her shoulder at Izuku. Izuku gave him a nod.

“Uh, you guys wanna come in?” he asked a little confusedly.

“Yeah,” Jiro nodded.

Maru stepped aside and the two of them stepped into his truly filthy apartment. There wasn’t much furniture, just a couch and a tv which had been put atop of an empty cardboard box. Take out containers and beer cans were strewn absolutely everywhere. The entire place smelled like rotting food and body odor.

“Sorry about the mess,” Maru apologized as he scratched the back of his head. “I don’t really get visitors all that much.”

“Or ever,” Izuku muttered as he nudged at an old pizza box with his foot. He wondered if a rat would come running out, but none did.

“It’s fine,” Jiro assured him. Izuku could only assume it was a lie. She went over and sat down on the couch, Maru following and sitting next to her. Izuku chose to stand.

“So what’s this all about?” Maru asked. His eyes flickered from Jiro to Izuku and back again. “You aren’t in trouble, are you?”

“It’s nothing like that,” Jiro shook her head. She looked up at Izuku. She gestured at him. “Maru this is Midori.”

Maru looked Izuku up and down once again. He seemed to really take his time. His eyes widened in recognition. “Well fuck me with a pipe,” he huffed. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too,” Izuku nodded.

“You know I worked one of your shows once,” Maru chuckled excitedly. His seemed a lot more awake all of a sudden. “Thought the crowd was gonna tear my head off.”

“Worked?” Izuku raised an eyebrow. He looked at Jiro for an explanation.

“Maru’s a bouncer,” Jiro answered. “He works in a lot of different clubs and bars.”

“Yep that’s me,” Maru agreed with a smile. “Worked at just about every venue in the city.”

“That’s why we came here actually,” Jiro took back over. “Maru have you ever heard of a place called the land of the lost?”

Maru sat back on the couch and put his hands behind his head. “I don’t know any place called that,” Maru hummed. “There’s the Land of Plenty, but that place closed down a few years ago.”

“That wouldn’t be it,” Izuku shook his head. “It might not be completely literal, but it’ll still be connected to the name land of the lost. Maybe some place where those who wander tend to stumble upon.”

“God you almost sound like those Shie Hassaikai freaks,” Maru grumbled.

“The what?” Jiro asked.

“Shie Hassaikai,” Maru repeated. “They’re a pretty freaky gang of Yakuza. They all pledge undying loyalty to that leader of theirs. Some dude who goes by the name Overhaul. They go on and on about how they were trash, but now they’re treasured. Expendable but invaluable. You hear all sorts of crap if you’re willing to listen.”

“Do you know where they’re based out of?” Izuku asked him.

“Nah,” Maru shook his head. “Those types don’t exactly give away much. Though they mostly show up when I’m working the warehouse district over in Musutafu.”

“It’s as good a place to start as any,” Izuku sighed. Finally he could get this quest started and then over with.

“What?” Maru asked. His eyes seemed to blow wide open. “Wait you aren’t thinking of going looking for these freaks are ya?”

“Of course,” Izuku nodded.

“Whoa I can’t just let ya do that,” Maru exclaimed as he got to his feet. He turned to Jiro. “Your dad would kill me Jiro.”

“It’s fine Maru,” Jiro assured him.

“Like hell it is,” Maru demanded. “Those guys are dangerous. Jiro you can’t j-”

Maru dropped like a sack of bricks. Not shocking given that Izuku had decided to just knock him unconscious with a chop to the back of the neck, even if it was almost beyond his reach to do so.

“What the hell,” Jiro screamed as she jumped to her feet.

“No time,” Izuku told her as he turned for the door.

“Like hell!” Jiro shouted after him. “Help me get him on the couch at least.”

“No time,” Izuku told her as he turned back. “He’ll be awake in thirty seconds, max. We need to be out of here before he wakes up.”

Jiro looked at him and then back down at Maru, who was already starting to stir.

“Shit,” she exclaimed.

She leapt over Maru and ran towards the door. The two of them made it out before he was up.

Now that they had a place to go, Izuku felt like the quest was finally beginning.


End file.
